DANNIJO Has it in the Bag

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of their accessories brand DANNIJO, sisters Danielle and Jodie Snyder are launching their first Fall/Winter collection of handbags. Since their early beginnings crafting jewelry and teaching themselves wirework with their father’s medical tools, the sisters have been accessorizing the necks, wrists, and fingers of celebrities including Natalie Portman, Beyoncé, and Jessica Chastain. “Handbags are new territory for us,” says Jodie. “It was really exciting to start from scratch. Some aspects of design were easier, like hardware and detailing, because of our background in jewelry, but the brand was ready for it and it was a natural next step.”

The Italian-made handbag collection pays homage to the DANNIJO boho-chic aesthetic. The styles include a backpack, two clutches, two cross-bodies, a top-handle bag, a tote, and a pouch that can be worn on any occasion. “As always, we see our collections as day-to-night and versatile, so we wanted the bags to be easy to wear,” adds Danielle. “We thought of the bag as the accessory, as opposed to accessorizing bags, which is why the collection is so sleek and clean with subtle branded elements. Like all of our collections, there is an eclectic mix of inspiration: references from ’90s grunge to old Hollywood glam, to moments of minimalism.”

Each style is available in three to four colors, ranging from black and sapphire blue to rich oxblood and more neutral petrol green. The designers used materials such as flocked suede, graphic houndstooth raffia, tartan embossed hair calf, smooth calf leather, and metallic water snake. Jodie says, “We wanted them to be well made and high quality, but also be competitively priced, and there wasn’t much at this price point that spoke to our woman.” All styles retail from $498-$1198.

The Snyder sisters always design together, but they bring their individual perspectives to the process. Danielle says she is a bit more bohemian and rock-‘n’-roll inspired, while Jodie tends towards a more classic sensibility. When it comes to a favorite bag, Danielle weighs in, “The oxblood Lipton with bibbing is probably our favorite because it’s so easy to wear and really captures the spirit of our woman. For the Fall collection, we wanted to create a rich pallet of dark jewel tones in different textures; the Viper clutch in sapphire and emerald velvet has the texture of stingray and the black leather clutch has a diamond embossing that we juxtaposed with iconic metal hardware. I love that you can hold it by the top strap or wear it as a backpack. The assortment is about ease and utility while still being chic and beautiful.”

DANNIJO’S FIRST FALL HANDBAG COLLECTION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT BERGDORF GOODMAN AND ONLINE AT DANNIJO.COM FROM JULY 17.