Family Jewels

 

Former Gucci PR director Brett Heyman created her accessories line Edie Parker—which, for the record, was named after her now-22-month-old daughter rather than Jack Kerouac’s first wife—out of shopper’s frustration last year. “During my maternity leave, I came across these graphic purses gracing the hands of socialites in photo books of the ’50s and ’60s, and I couldn’t find them anywhere,” Heyman says. So she created her own vintage-style clutches and never returned to her day job. Meticulously handcrafted, Heyman’s retro minaudières are made with pearlized acrylic and handy glow-in-the-dark ends. And each style honors one of the designer’s relatives. “Carol is named after my mom; Jean, my grandma; and Lara, my cousin,” she says.