behind the seams

Join Us in Celebrating our Twelfth Anniversary!

2011-08-11T09:43:00.012-05:00

We are so excited to be celebrating our twelfth year as the "Original Custom Handbag Company", and we have you to thank! Thanks for being such a big part of our success and for creating so many memories (and handbags!) with us. We can't wait to celebrate with you this weekend in our stores, on-line and at our LILL on Location parties. There are too many memories to share, but here's a glance at what makes working at LILL so special...

Our 7 year Anniversary Party

Celebrating our move into our new production space

Babies and Brides, oh my!

Enjoying potluck with some BINGO and "Bad Sweater Day" action

Take a stroll down LILL's memory lane by viewing our company's timeline.

Meet Jules!

2011-07-07T16:56:00.005-05:00

Summer is officially in full swing, and we have the perfect bag for all your warm weather activities! Jules is our newest style and this mini messenger bag will be your favorite in no time. Its smaller size and adjustable strap make it the quintessential bag to accompany you to all those summer concerts, block parties and festivals. A hands free strap allows you to travel with ease, and an interior zipper pocket helps keep you organized.

The real Jules is much like our new style- adorably cute, and quite charming! Please meet the name behind the bag...

LILL: Besides your namesake, what’s your favorite LILL style?

JULES: My favorite LILL style is the PAULA! It’s my favorite bag for carrying all of my dance and poms clothes!

LILL: What’s one unique or funny thing you always carry in your bag?

JULES: I always have kleenex and bags of food!

LILL: Why are you most excited to have a LILL bag named after you?

JULES: I've never had anything named after me before!

LILL: Any kids and/or pets?

JULES: A dog named Sawyer

LILL: If you could visit one place in the world, where would you go?

JULES: Greece

LILL: If you could have dinner with five people, living or deceased, who would they be?

JULES: Beyonce, Michael Jackson, James Franco, Gandhi, and David Beckham

LILL: What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

JULES: Harry Potter

LILL: Who’s your favorite celebrity? Ever meet anyone famous?

JULES: Beyonce is my favorite celebrity! No, unfortunately I have not ever met anyone famous.

LILL: Which superpower so you wish you had?

JULES: I wish I could remember everything I read or saw so that I could be uber smart.

LILL: Who’s your hero/mentor?

JULES: My Mom

LILL: What’s your favorite food?

JULES: I will eat anything!

LILL: What hobbies or activities are important to you?

JULES: Dancing and helping those in need

LILL: Anything you would like to say about Laurie, the person who named the bag after you? JULES: Laurie is my sister, I look up to her and love her very much!

Hello Summer!

2011-06-21T07:54:00.005-05:00

Summer is officially here! And to celebrate, we are offering our Facebook friends an exclusive deal! Spend $75 or more shopping at 1154LILL.com today and get $25 off your purchase of any custom or ready-made LILL handbag or accessory. Enter promo code SUMMER11 at checkout. Just think of this as our First Day of Summer Special!

Lill On Sale items, gift certificates, Design A Bag kits and previous purchases are excluded. Discount does not apply to tax or shipping. May not be combined with any other offer, Shop-A-Ganza!, Groupon, promotion or discount.

Now is the perfect time to get that summer bag you've been eyeing! Can't make a decision? Here are a few suggestions that are sure to compliment your summer wardrobe...

A reversible Brianna in Flourish and Red Basketweave

An Ellie tote in Pink Trellis

A reversible Wendy in Olivia and Raspberry Fizz

Meet Emily!

2011-05-31T12:13:00.008-05:00

Our newest style, Emily, is very sweet, and so is the lovely gal it was named after. Meet Emily, the sister of our Chicago store manager, Rachel.

LILL: Besides your namesake, what’s your favorite LILL style?

Emily: The Erinn

LILL: What’s one unique or funny thing you always carry in your bag?

Emily: Cuticle clippers – I never leave home without them.

LILL: Why are you most excited to have a LILL bag named after you?

Emily: When my parents named me Emily, they chose the name because they thought it was uncommon. 28 years later it’s one of the most popular names in the US. This bag is a testament to all the great women with whom I share this now-popular name.

LILL: Any kids and/or pets?

Emily: Not yet – some day!

LILL: If you could visit one place in the world, where would you go?

Emily: I have always wanted to go to Ireland to see where my family is from. I would also love to backpack through Alaska and British Columbia.

LILL: If you could have dinner with five people, living or deceased, who would they be?

Emily: This is the hardest question EVER but I would have to say Bo Schembechler, Kristen Wiig, Anthony Bourdain, Bono and Harold Flynn (my grandfather who died before I was born). Jon Krakauer and Hilary Clinton tie for sixth. Oh, and my sister of course! After all, she did name this bag after me.

LILL: What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

Emily: Movie is a total toss-up but for TV, my favorite is The Wire – hands down!

LILL: Who’s your favorite celebrity? Ever meet anyone famous?

Emily: I’m not a huge celebrity person but my favorite actor is Robert De Niro. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him but I have been fortunate to meet some other great celebrities as well as some very famous politicians while living in DC.

LILL: Which superpower do you wish you had?

Emily: The power to heal

LILL: What’s the last great book you read?

Emily: Killing Yourself to Live

LILL: Who’s your hero/mentor?

Emily: Children – not only are they our future but they inspire me to work harder so that I can give back.

LILL: What are your favorite foods?

Emily: Cereal and lamb rogan josh – an awkward combination

LILL: What hobbies or activities are important to you?

Emily: Travel, exercise, cooking, good wine, reading, hiking and sharing everyday moments with those I love.

LILL: Anything you would like to say about Rachel, the person who named the bag after you?

Emily: Rachel is not only my sister but she is my best friend. She truly embodies kindness and love and approaches everyone and everything she does with an open heart. She has an amazing ability to find beauty wherever she goes and incorporate that beauty into her everyday life. This is reflected in her work at Lill where Rachel can combine her appreciation for beautiful things with her creative and artistic flare. I am flattered she nominated my name and I am excited to have her help me design my first Emily bag. Love you Rach!

Tote...ally!

2011-05-19T11:29:00.019-05:00

While the warm temps may not be a permanent fixture just yet, those balmy summer days aren't too far away. Be prepared with one of our essential tote bags!

Want something classic and practical? Ellie's your bag.

Looking for a way to stay organized? Then Lilli's for you.

Want more bag for your buck? Choose our reversible Wendy tote.

With so many bright, fun, and unique fabrics to pick from it may be hard to decide, so here are a few suggestions...

Pink Trellis, Citrine Scroll, Mint Julep, Olivia, Thatcher Island, & Fly Away

Design yours today!

Let's Hear it for the Boys!

2011-04-26T10:20:00.004-05:00

Most of you may not think of your special guy while shopping at LILL, but on May 16th that's all going to change. We've been toying with the idea of introducing some men's products for some time now, and we're excited to give you a peek at what we've been working on. Here's a look at Alex and Taylor, our toiletry kit and i-pad case.

Even though both items truly are unisex, we'd like to encourage the ladies to awaken their men's creative side. Whether it be your dad, brother or hubby, everyone has a favorite color, and how enjoyable would it be to watch them pick out fabrics that express themselves? If you think they'd have a hard time choosing, we know you'll have no problem picking out something they'll love. While you're at it, pick out a little something for yourself. An Emily, perhaps? It's our newest style that's strictly for the ladies.

Emily will also be released on May 16th and will be offered with or without a chain strap. Both options give you the opportunity to dress it up, or dress it down, but either way you'll look super cute with your new Emily.

Mark your calendars for May 16th!

Spring Has Sprung...

2011-03-29T09:28:00.011-05:00

...well, at least at LILL it has. While the weather here in Chicago still leaves us wishing for warmer temps, we thankfully have some gorgeous new spring fabrics to cheer us up. With our recently released fabrics (and more to come) we are really loving all the new combinations we're coming up with. To cure your mid day blah's we highly suggest giving some of your own combinations a try. You can even show off your newly designed bag by e-mailing a photo of it to a friend, or maybe you'll even send it to an unsuspecting gift giver (a little hint never hurts). Here a a few of our newest fabrics gracing some perfect spring time styles...

Wendy with one of our newest picks, Pink Trellis, accented with Grass Green

Ellie, looking adorable in our Thactcher Island fabric

Our reversible Brianna with Citrine Scroll and Honey Dijon Basketweave

Still need a little more cheer? Design your perfect spring bag now!

Clutches for a Cause

2011-03-23T08:27:00.006-05:00

We all love the opportunity to give a little something back when we can, so we've decided to team up with actress, and Dancing with the Stars alum, Stacy Keibler (and a number of other giving celebrities) to design "Clutches for a Cause". Sales of these clutches will benefit the After-School All-Stars, a national non-profit that provides free programs to help children do better in school and give them the chance to reach their full potential. Through March 31st, LILL will donate $10 to the After-School All-Stars for each limited edition "Clutch for a Cause" purchased. Purchasing one of these clutches is the perfect way to support a good cause, and satisfy your LILL habit!

Make Them Green With Envy!

2011-03-16T14:39:00.007-05:00

For 43 years the Chicago river has been dyed a bright shade a green, and its become one of our most prized St. Patrick's Day traditions. For a city that loves to celebrate, it's an exciting week. The Guinness is flowing, the parades are marching, and we're all hoping a little luck comes our way. If you need a little help, stop in one of our store locations (or host a LILL on Location party soon!) between March 17th and March 20th for your guaranteed opportunity to receive a discount on your very own LILL bag, or a free accessory with the purchase of a bag.

In the spirit of the season, here a few suggestions that are perfect for the warming temps and are sure to make your friends green with envy-

Design a Paula, perfect for those weekend get-aways...or Spring Break!

Or an Isabel, which is great for Chicago's summer concerts and street fairs.

Or our classic tote, Ellie, a summer essential for a day at the beach or shopping with the girls.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

Bridal Sweet Week

2011-03-08T08:59:00.017-06:00

LILL is currently celebrating Bridal Sweet Week, a week long event offering brides a great discount on bags for their bridal party...and of course, a little something for themselves. We kicked off the week with events in our stores, and are excited to continue to offer our brides their perfect, one of a kind bag!

One of the bridal trends we're particularly excited about this season is the use of color, instead of wearing head-to-toe white. LILL gives you the opportunity to further express your personal style, and when is a better time to do that than on your big day?

If you're currently searching for "the dress" and don't know where to start, here are a ideas we hope will inspire you...

Bohemian and subtly adorned, with an Audrey Jane in your "something blue"

Chic and sweet, with an Erinn in a classic black and white floral

Pretty and romantic, with a ruffled Grace in blushing pink

Your one of a kind wedding deserves the perfect one of a kind bag.

Enjoy your special day ladies!

Meet Our Newest Fan!

2011-02-22T14:09:00.023-06:00

While responding to some customers on our Facebook page we noticed one customer in particular who was super excited about her recent LILL experience. We love getting to know our customers, and we just had to get to know Sidney. We had a little Q & A with Sidney and would like to share it with you...

How were you introduced to 1154 LILL Studio?
My husband knows how much of a purse-aholic I am and saw your site listed in one of his RSS feeds. He sent it to me and said, lovingly, "don't OD". I was on the site building a purse everyday for at least two weeks.

What was it about LILL that got you excited to design your own bag?

Being able to make a bag, with patterns and colors and textures that were all me, was the most exciting part of this process. I like bags with character, hardware and pockets, and while Lill doesn't have many bags with elaborate hardware, the character is one of a kind.

How many LILL bags do you own? Any favorite styles? What makes them your favorite?
I "adopted" two bags- Maya and Sandra. Maya was "conceived" on October 22nd and she came home just before Thanksgiving last year. Sandra was "conceived" during Snowmaggedon 2011 and will arrive by the end of February. These bags are my current favorites due to their many pockets and size. Maya is great when I am on business because I can fit my netbook and accessories inside without the need for another bag; Sandra will be more of an everyday bag.

Have you told any of your friends about LILL?
I have told every purse loving woman I know about 1154 Lill. When the 50% for one day was offered, I made it my Facebook status AND tweeted about it. Some of my friends are thinking of having a party too, but probably in the spring, when all the snow is gone in Chicago.

Are there any other styles on your wish list?

Wendy and Sophie are on my current wish list. I love the Wendy because it's reversible and it's a great summer bag. I have 5 year old twins, so this would be a great bag for them and their things when we're out and about in the city. I am also a student and a small business owner, so the Sophie can be great when Maya is too much. Sophie can double as a purse when I'm off to a meeting, or hanging at the library or Starbucks. On those days, less is more, and Sophie is definitely more!

Anything else you’d like to mention?
I think the main thing I would like people to know about 1154 Lill is the customer service. The website is super easy to use and if you are in the Chicago area, the Lincoln Park location has a great staff. When I went in for the first time they immediately made me feel welcome and were as giddy as I was about building me a new "baby". My husband and twins were with me and they even made the experience fun for them! A true purse lover can also appreciate the workmanship of the bags. I didn't overly mind the three week wait because I knew it would be quality work. I am hoping that one day we will be able to combine some styles for even more customizability, but until then, Maya and Sandra will await the day when Wendy and Sophie come home with us!

Thanks Sidney!

Animal Instincts

2011-02-15T16:14:00.007-06:00

While we always do our best to offer a little something for everyone, we must admit that for a while animal prints just really weren't our thing. We searched high and low for tastefully cute patterns that were more Gwen Stefani and less Peggy Bundy, and finally, we've found some that are just right for LILL. Check them out on a few styles...and don't bother trying to tame your urge to get one!

New Beginnings at Lill Studio!

2011-02-08T10:14:00.006-06:00

Greetings everyone! My name is Tiffany and I am Lill Studio's new Marketing intern! The past three weeks have been nothing short of a truly amazing experience that included moving to the Windy City, meeting new people, going on all sorts of interviews, and eventually settling into my awesome position here at Lill! Here is a little background information on me and how exactly I landed this great opportunity:

I am a junior at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I'm currently working toward my major in Business Administration and Marketing.
Fashion, marketing, and advertising are three of my main career passions.
I was given the opportunity to intern at Lill Studio through a program called Chicago Semester, where college juniors and seniors are given help finding internships in the big city.
Although I had three different interviews, I decided on Lill because I greatly admire the story of how Jen started the company, how Lill has evolved so much from its beginning, the amazing sense of community everyone shares, and, let's be real, who wouldn't love working around some the of cutest handbags ever made?!

My first two weeks at Lill have been nothing short of incredible! The first visit here for my interview was quite the adventure (including getting lost for about twenty minutes because I was still new to the whole idea of public transportation). Luckily, I made it to the studio on time and instantly fell in love with the feel of the company. The brightly colored walls and beautiful fabric swatches instantly lifted my mood that was previously dampened by the gray snowstorm outside. After my interview, I instantly knew that this was the place I wanted to intern. And thankfully, I am now doing just that! I've helped out with a lot of different projects in many different areas of the company, and I've loved learning what each person and department does. Seeing how it all comes together to form this amazing company was a truly great way to start off the job! I'll be here for the next three months and look forward to seeing how the company evolves and the new projects with which I will be involved. And, of course, I look forward to designing my own versions of the many Lill bags with which I've already fallen in love! Until the next post, stay warm and stay chic, Lill lovers!

Some Things Never Change...

2011-02-04T15:38:00.008-06:00

With "Snowmageddon" behind Chicagoland, we're back in action here at LILL. A power outage shut headquarters down for a couple of days, but everyone's trying to get back to normal as the city cleans up the biggest mess of snow most of us here have seen in our lifetimes. This blizzard was reported as the 3rd largest in Chicago's history, shedding down some 20+ inches of snow! With the sun now shining it's nice to see people out and about, and hopefully the melting will begin. If you weren't lucky enough to see it all go down yourself, here's an image from the havoc it caused on Lake Shore Drive, causing drivers to finally just leave their cars behind. The second image is from the blizzard of 1967...not much has changed. Lets hope it's at least another 40+ years before we have to shovel this much ever again!

Stay warm...and Cute!

2011-02-01T07:42:00.009-06:00

With the worst of winter gearing up to hit the Midwest today, we're all preparing in various ways- we got our day started a little earlier so that we can leave work early (snow traffic is the worst), a lot of us stocked up on our groceries for the week and some of us busted out our warmest and most sensible winter accessories. Notice I said "warmest" and "most sensible", and not "chicest" or " most desirable". We're all a little guilty of piling it all on without being too conscious about whether or not it really compliments our outfit. While it may take a little more effort, you can still look totally cute without sacrificing your warmth. Try on some of these accessories from Anthropologie, and of course, pair it with an extra roomy LILL bag. You'll need that extra space to stash all your winter gear.

Add a Donna, Lilli, or Roxy to complete your look!

If we happen to get those 20" of snow they're calling for stay home, grab a mug of hot cocoa, a good book and enjoy some "me" time....and maybe do a little on-line shopping.

These Are a Few of Our Favorite...Styles!

2011-01-25T13:10:00.006-06:00

One of the most important questions we ask our customers is, "What's your favorite style?". We talk about this so often that it got us thinking about it ourselves...what are the most sought after styles amongst LILL staffers? We took a poll and here are our top 3 favorite styles, Roxy, Erinn, and Hadley, made up in a selection of our newest fabrics.

Roxy is the newest of the three styles, debuting just one month ago. Some staffers had the opportunity to test drive a sample before its official release and couldn't wait for the real deal. Erinn is also one of your favorites, representing one of our top three sellers. You can't go wrong with a classic silhouette. Hadley is a cult favorite. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but if it's yours, you can't imagine life without it. What's your favorite style?

It's All About You

2011-01-18T08:35:00.017-06:00

Here at LILL we encourage our customers to express their individuality through their personally designed bag. We want you to not only enjoy your experience, but to also love your bag so much that you can't wait to show it off! We're constantly inspired by the fabric combinations you pair together and always amazed by our pick up wall. There's always a number of ideas we've never thought of and it's always interesting to see what colors and patterns everyone is craving to wear. Here's a look at a few styles customers are picking up this weekend...enjoy your bags ladies!

(From top left)

Brianna with Akebia Vines & Dusty Rose

Erinn with Dottie & Lagoon Faux Suede

Nikki with Seaside Mist & Flourish

Lexie with Moroccan Tiles & Grass Green

Keep up the good work!

Accessorize!

2011-01-13T08:22:00.117-06:00

We all know the right accessories can make or break an outfit. Your favorite jeans and tee can look boring and basic if unadorned, but add the right bag, shoes and a stylish piece of jewelry and you're good to go. Liven up your wardrobe staples with these complimentary pieces...

Pair a chunky choker & some sparkly flats with Erinn...

or a statement ring & some muted slides with a Grace...

or some edgy earrings and sky high heels with a Roxy. Whatever you choose to do, have fun with it!

Brighten Up Your Day!

2011-01-11T08:46:00.013-06:00

From Marc Jacobs to Tory Burch, candy colored bags were a reoccurring trend on the runways for Spring 2011. In a couple weeks you'll be able to find our first bits of spring popping up in LILL stores and online with the release of our first round of spring fabrics. As always we promise tons of patterns in the form of florals, geometrics and animal prints, as well as a much needed break from dreary winter in the form of some cheerful color. In the meantime, here are a few ideas to get you inspired to create your own spring bag...

Try designing a Wendy or a Grace,

or maybe a Brianna or our newest style, Roxy!

Get to Know the Real Roxy...

2011-01-05T15:17:00.013-06:00

In case you didn't know, LILL bags are named after real life, living, breathing people...and not just any people, but people we have a particular fondness for. If you've ever had a LILL bag named after you, consider yourself a lucky gal. Our newest style released just this week is Roxy. Roxy is BFF's with our cutting department associate Erika, and we would like to introduce her to you via our fun questionnaire-

LILL: Besides your namesake, what’s your favorite LILL style?
ROXY: I like messenger styles so the ISABEL is my fav.

LILL: What’s one unique or funny thing you always carry in your bag?
ROXY: Vaseline, it's great for my hands, lips and for removing make-up.

LILL: Why are you most excited to have a LILL bag named after you?
ROXY: I own more bags than shoes, earrings, etc. It’s my favorite accessory so this is a great honor.

LILL: Any kids and/or pets?
ROXY: Negative.

LILL: If you could visit one place in the world, where would you go?
ROXY: Pretty much anywhere in Italy.

LILL: If you could have dinner with five people, living or deceased, who would they be?
ROXY: George Harrison, Gwen Stefani, Lucille Ball, Chelsea Handler and Trent Reznor.

LILL: What’s your favorite movie or TV show?
ROXY: Roseanne and True Blood.

LILL: Who’s your favorite celebrity? Ever meet anyone famous?
ROXY: I met Billy Corgan once at a show I was at. He was walking around and I just had to take the opportunity to say hello.

LILL: Which superpower do you wish you had?
ROXY:The ability to stop time, everything in its tracks.

LILL: What’s the last great book you read?
ROXY: Erika let me borrow Jenny McCarthy's latest book, “Love, Lust and Faking it”, and it was a great read.

LILL: Who’s your hero/mentor?
ROXY: Don’t really have one. I’m more inspired by strong-minded, motivated women who display strength and will power to go for what they believe.

LILL: What’s your favorite food?
ROXY: Mexican style nachos.

LILL: What hobbies or activities are important to you?
ROXY: Playing my guitar, it's the best thing I ever picked up.

LILL: Anything you would like to say about Erika, the person who named the bag after you?
ROXY: She’s one of my favorite people in the world.

Roxy and Erika

Holiday Potluck

2010-12-24T07:00:00.014-06:00

This is probably my 100th post about LILL's infamous potlucks, but I can't help myself. Once a month our entire production staff brings in a dish and we all dine together.This tradition started as a way to recognize birthdays of staffers born in the respective month, and we've been adding some other traditions along the way. Staff past and present visit with their children, and this month our newest addition at only 2 weeks old, paid us a visit. We also shared gifts and some fun crafts with eachother (made from scrap fabrics of course!) and designed a bag from our LINKS collection. As always, it was a great time and a sweet way to celebrate the holidays with co-workers.

We wish everyone a Happy Holiday! Enjoy creating new memories while celebrating some of your own traditions this holiday season!

Spring 2011 Trends

2010-12-23T08:35:00.011-06:00

Spring may be a fading memory at this point, but it's never too early to be thinking about how you'll refresh your wardrobe come March. Everyone is still talking about major trends that evolved from fashion week, and Refinery 29 has highlighted ten of their favorites. Halter necklines, floor length frocks, wide legged trousers and full skirts are some top style trends, and in terms of color, neutral, orange and chartreuse reigned the runways.

According to Pantone the color of 2011 is Honeysuckle, a reddish pink that we think will bode well with LILL fans. We're keeping all these color trends in mind during our spring buy (see below), but we promise some fun surprises in there to mix things up a bit!

Spring is in the air! Here's why...

2010-12-21T08:55:00.023-06:00

With Christmas around the corner (and snow on the ground here in Chicago) there's no denying the fact that winter is here, but we're already thinking spring. We're currently searching for our top choices for LILL's spring fabric collection, so our desks are filled with cheerful colors and fun florals...which is a nice view compared to the gray skies outside. It's quite a process, but always loads of fun!

After collecting samples throughout the year we take a look at our current selection of fabrics and decide which fabrics need to go because they're out of season and which ones we're not quite ready to part with. We make stacks and stacks of our favorites, our not so favorites and fabrics that aren't right for now, but may be for later. We consider what the "it" colors are for the season and get input from our fellow staffers, and a few weeks later they're available to you, dying to be designed with! Here are a few of our current favorites...

Current fall/winter fabrics are in limited supply, so if there's something you love, now's the time to treat yourself!

LILL's Elves

2010-12-17T07:00:00.007-06:00

This time of year is always exciting here at LILL's headquarters because it's so evident that the holidays are here. Production is bustling with orders, our web store is flooded with phone calls and shoppers are loving their time spent at our stores. Here's a look at some holiday fun
around our production space...

A flurry of cut parts waiting to be assembled and handed off to sewing...

Imelda, from our Quality Dept.,

giving the bags

their final inspection...

& Vanessa prepping boxes for

shipping, from floor to ceiling.

As you can see, we're quite busy this time of year, but we'd have it no other way. Thank you all for your continued support and for giving the gift of creativity this holiday season!

Sneak Peek!

2010-12-16T10:59:00.012-06:00

As many of you would assume, working for a custom handbag company has its perks, and one of them is having the opportunity to test drive a new style before it's officially released. This month everyone is clamoring for the chance to try out the Roxy, a new everyday style that debuts on January 3, 2011. Since you have to wait a couple more weeks to see it for yourself, we thought we'd give you a LILL holiday treat and share a sneak peek...

Maybe someone special will give you a LILL gift certificate this holiday season, and you'll be able to get yourself a Roxy to kick off the new year!

Oh Baby It's Cold Outside...

2010-12-13T08:08:00.010-06:00

Greetings from Chicago! It's a chilly 12 degrees today (-6 with the wind chill) and boy is it cold. Like it or not, blasts of chilly weather and snow really do make it feel more like the holidays...and I specifically love how Chicagoans grin and bear it. There were still a number of shoppers on Michigan Avenue this weekend, and I have to give props to the Bears fans that not only sat through an entire game yesterday, but tailgated before hand. That's the spirit people!

Now, for those of you who'd prefer to do your holiday shopping from home...we're here to help! If you didn't already know, you can give the gift of LILL to others with a LILL gift certificate this holiday season. Not only do you not have to leave your house to get one, you can also have it sent electronically to your recipient if you'd like. A LILL gift certificate makes a great gift because while it's always nice to get a LILL bag, it's even better to give someone the experience of designing it on their own. See for yourself!

Here's a little something I designed for my wishlist. I hope Santa's reading this.

-Mandy

Not Ready for a Goodbye...Maybe Just a See You Later

2010-12-10T11:17:00.006-06:00

I wish there was an appropriate way to show my gratitude towards

Lill, but I feel as though all forms just fall short. My time here as the marketing intern is something I will never forget and never stop being appreciative for. The incredible staff has been overly generous, kind, and patient with me this semester as I have learned the ropes;I could not have been surrounded by more genuine people.

Today is my final day, and boy have I been dreading this since the get-go. I have fallen in love with a city, its' energy, people, opportunities, beauty, and most of all Lill and the incredible "family" that holds it all together.

As much as I didn't want today to come, now that it's here I'm ready to make the most of it! What makes this so easy is that my amazing supervisor brought this incredible spread of breakfast foods to celebrate my leaving along with the gift of one of Lill's beautiful bags! Lill, way too generously, allowed me to design my own bag before leaving and I picked out a LEXIE in Onyx Honeycomb

and Raspberry Fizz (pictured here).

While I am in no way ready to leave Chicago and all it offers, I am very thankful to be going home to celebrate the holidays with my wonderful family and friends! Even though I do not plan on saying a permanent goodbye to Lill, I think I can handle a"See you later". So, "See you later Lill", it's been more than I ever could have imagined and you will always hold a dear place in my heart :)

All the best,

Anne

It's Time to Lace up Those Boots and Throw on a Scarf...or Two

2010-12-03T11:28:00.006-06:00

Hey there!

Now that we have our first official snowfall here in Chicago, and it is already December-I'm thinking it's time to make the most of the holiday season by getting out in the city and exploring a few awesome activities! I know that the frigid temps and blustery winds make it a little more tempting to cozy up inside with a blanket and movie, but don't give in! This season is here for only a short time so don't miss out on all the fun (and free) activities put on in this beautiful city.

After researching a bit I found a few things going on that I think you should absolutely consider for a weekend afternoon or evening! They are...

Ice skating in Millenium Park-It's free admission and you can rent skates there if needed.

Caroling at Cloud Gate-A fantastic array of groups join in Millenium Park each friday to perform carols for whoever would like to enjoy them.

Zoolights- Watch ice carving, see Santa, enjoy warm drinks, and be amazed by over a million lights at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Christkindlmarket-German and International vendors are set up in Daley Plaza for a guaranteed afternoon of fun, sweets, and delicious drinks.

These are only a few of the wonderful holiday things going on in the city this season so know that their is no shortage of exciting, free entertainment. Peel yourself off the couch, layer on some outergear, and prepare yourself for a holiday experience you aren't likely to find anywhere else!

Enjoy!!

Anne

My last day at LILL...

2010-12-01T08:12:00.010-06:00

Wow, how surreal to write those words – “My last day at LILL…” How do you leave a company, a brand, a group of people, an experience, a friend that has helped shape the very fabric of who you are as a person?

For me, this transition is bittersweet. I am leaving my full-time position as Vice President of 1154 LILL Studio after 11 plus years to have my third baby (next week!) and to spend more time with my kids as a full-time mom. I am thrilled to be able to do this – they are only young once and I can’t wait to get more involved in their schools and their activities while soaking up their sweet personalities.

I also feel so good about where the company stands at this point. Not only did we have an amazing team in place already, we have hired an exceptionally talented and experienced Chief Marketing Officer who brings so much to the table and is truly going to help shape the future of LILL. I cannot wait to see how the company will grow and change as the entire team moves forward together.

At the same time, I can't imagine my life without LILL. It's been such a huge part of who I am for the past 11+ years. I have felt lucky EVERY DAY to be a part of it, to work with such smart, talented and caring people and to be surrounded by such loyal and creative customers and fans.

I am honored and humbled that my friend Jen Velarde put her faith and trust in me those many, many years ago and has taken me along with her on this ride. Over the years I’ve worn many hats (as have many at LILL) but the roles I hold dearest include acting as Jen’s sounding board, spokesperson, right-hand woman, confidant and more. I am inspired by her and so very proud of her as a person, an entrepreneur, a leader, an innovator, a mother and a friend.

I am SO excited for the potential I see in LILL. There is a big part of me that wishes I could be a part of this next step - seeing the company grow to the next level. But I also know that it is the right time for change. So - it's the start of a new phase and a new adventure for LILL and for me. It’s crazy, surreal, exciting and of course very bittersweet. I'll always have LILL in my heart and I know that LILL will always have a part of me in it's heart as well. I fully recognize what a rare and special opportunity I have had here at LILL and am truly thankful for all I have experienced along the way.

With much love, Robin

Design Updates

2010-11-29T09:29:00.017-06:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! Here at LILL we've already got holiday gift giving on our mind, and many of us are quite the crafters. If you're like us and enjoy making some of your gifts here are a few simple projects to try using fabric as your medium...

Use various sizes of needlepoint hoops
to display fun fabrics!

Cover a canvas or a piece of lightweight plywood with fabric
and arrange them at different heights on the wall.

Make a tree skirt, or even some stockings out of fabric!

I hope we've inspired you to give crafting a try this holiday season. If you need some fabrics to get you started we have quite a selection of our own to choose from! If crafting isn't for you, no worries. Our holiday gift guide will surely do the trick!

-Mandy

Crafty Can be Cool

2010-11-19T13:01:00.006-06:00

The wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving is approaching

which for me, means a few things like..

-Incredible food in greatly-oversized portions

-Afternoon-consuming naps

-Catching up with family

-Shopping like it's going out of style

-The blessing of free-time

This last aspect got my friend and I thinking about spending some of that time getting a little crafty...

While I have done a number of crafts growing up, I am now 21 and in hopes of discovering a few projects that are homemade but also hip, artsy, and colorful! In case you find yourself with some wonderful, and i'm sure well deserved, free-time this holiday weekend-here are a few projects you may want to try out :)

Design your own apron! Move away from that "one size fits all" style and incorporate your own taste into an all new kitchen ensemble

Create fashionable placemats out of magazine covers-find covers or pages of magazines that you'd love to show off and all you need is thin pieces of wood, transfer paper, and varnish in order to make pieces of art you can display at every meal!

Begin knitting a blanket-especially if you live in a place like Michigan, as I do, you will have many gray, chilly days to work on it as well as greatly appreciate its' warmth.

Decorate lamp shades-All over the magazines and specialty boutiques are shades draped in ribbon and adorned with flowers. Make the most of your old shade or pick up an inexpensive one to experiment on! It'll add both personality and much cozier lighting to any room.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday week ahead full of family, friends, food, and maybe even a craft or two :)

Best,

Anne

Design Updates

2010-11-15T09:33:00.010-06:00

Wendy is officially here! If you happened to stop in at the store or attended a LILL on Location party over the weekend you may have had the opportunity to get your's a little early, but today is the day it's available everywhere. Wendy is a casual tote bag that offers you an exterior and an interior fabric choice, as well as your choice of black of natural webbing for the straps. The straps have a super cute knot detail that we all love, and there's a sneaky zipper set into the exterior side seam to keep all your valuables safe. On top of all that Wendy is reversible, and has a great price point at $88, making it a perfect holiday gift.

Design yours today!

Nothing Short of Bittersweet...

2010-11-12T12:56:00.006-06:00

Good afternoon ladies of Lill,

After reading the two previous blog entries I realized that I in no way can compete with their exciting and beautifully touching stories-goodness I've only been apart of Lill for a semester and the "Tapestry ELLIE" story nearly made me cry! As I try to recover from that tender act of kindess presented by Lill employees, I say we dive into my life; a college student winding down an incredible semester in Chicago!

The holiday season is quickly approaching and its been so exciting seeing all that Lill has done in preparation actually come together! I have absolutely fallen in love with a few of our new designs and feel as though I will not be leaving empty-handed come December :)

The only sad part about the upcoming holidays is that my time here at Lill and in Chicago is nearly up...

While my family and friends from home have been dearly missed, these past 3 months have been nothing short of life changing and nearing the end is painfully bittersweet. Seeing how so many things have progressed while I'm here like...the DAB kits, gift guide, etc. it's going to be incredibly challenging to let go; this position has been such a blessing!!

Even though I am whole-heartedly ready to make the most of these next few weeks both at work and in the city, I know Lill will be greatly missed once my residence is once again in the "mitten state". So while I am dealing with mixed emotions, make sure that you keep an eye out for all the AMAZING things Lill will be doing for the upcoming holidays!

Best,

Anne

What I'm Loving (this) Wednesday

2010-11-10T07:15:00.001-06:00

Good morning all you LILL fans. I can’t believe it’s already mid November, the holiday’s are just around the corner. But don’t worry there is still plenty of time to get everyone on your shopping list fun and creative gifts from 1154 LILL Studio! (shh…keep reading for a special blog exclusive offer).

1) I had to wear a winter coat for the first time this weekend in Chicago, so naturally I wanted to escape reality already. Which means I’m on VACATION, I’m spending the week down in Longboat Key with a couple of girlfriends, and couldn’t be having a better time…thanks Jamie and Tracy…and the sun.

2) Design a bag kits, design a bag kits, design a bag kits. Can you tell I’m excited about our new design a bag kits? This week we officially launched our new line of Design a Bag Kits for the holidays. We have changed the packaging up a bit, and are offering ten (10) bags at various price points, who wouldn’t want to design their own bag for Christmas? Shop Design a Bag Kits

3) While laying on the beach I’m trying for about the 3^rd time to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, it’s a slow start, but I’m finally getting into it and can tell it’s going to be phenomenal.

4) This Monday LILL officially went into holiday mode, be sure to check out our 2010 Holiday Gift Guide to find the perfect gift for every girl on your list. www.1154lill.com/gift+ideas/

5) I’m also loving all of the amazing press 1154 LILL Studio is getting, it’s so fun to share in all of the excitement with our die-hard LILL fans. Who doesn’t love seeing the same bag (but in totally different fabrics) they have walk down the red carpet?

6) Last, but not least…who doesn’t love a deal? This is why I am offering a $10 off code for all you blog readers. For three (3) days only enter Promo Code: BLOG10 at checkout and receive $10 off your order. This offer expires on Friday, 11/12/10 at 11:59 PM CST – which just so happens to be my very own incredible mom’s birthday – happy birthday mom.

Thanks again for tuning in to see what I’m loving this Wednesday. Back to vacation for me J

- Morgan

It's What's on the Inside That Counts

2010-11-08T09:20:00.009-06:00

My mother always told me "it's what's on the inside that counts." I was reminded of this recently when I received a beautiful gift from my staff as we celebrated the 11th Anniversary of LILL. The team presented Robin and I with commemorative ELLIE totes - in a fabric I didn't recognize at a distance. As they brought the bags towards us, I realized that it was a patchwork fabric made up of a multitude of fabrics in our line. Each team member had selected their favorite fabric and they had stitched them together to create a beautiful tapestry representing each person in our organization. Along with the bag came a fabric "key" that listed each person and their selection. At the top of the key was a statement that I just love - "A business is made up individuals working towards one goal. When they all come together amazing things can happen." I adored the bag and couldn't wait to start carrying it. Then someone pointed out the inside...

On the inside of the bag, each person had written a short note and signed it. I use the bag everyday and as I open it up to pull out my work, I am reminded of the wonderful group of people that make up LILL and I am thankful for the opportunity we've had to build this business together. It simply makes me smile. I can almost hear my mother's voice saying "it's what's on the inside that counts."

As you start to consider gifts to give for the holidays, you, too, can give a gift with a little extra meaning. Our ELLIE totes with their nylon interiors are perfect for giving to that special teacher, coach, boss, mom or grandmother. Pick an exterior fabric she'll love and have the group sign the inside to commemorate your experiences together or have the kids stamp their hand prints on the interior. Your recipient will enjoy receiving a beautiful bag, but will LOVE what is on the inside.

Happy Designing,

Jen Velarde

Dig out the Winter Wardrobe...but Don't Forget the Rest!

2010-11-05T11:09:00.004-05:00

Hey Ladies-

While it is no surprise that seasons are changing, especially here in the midwest, the first bitterly-cold, bone-chilling breezes are always a shock to the system. Especially now that it is November, I find it time to hunt through storage and pull out all the big bulky sweaters, wool socks, and outerwear...

Even though winter may be grayer, colder, and gloomier in regards to weather and often-times fashion choices, we do not need to fall into that pattern again this year!

I started brainstorming a few ways to remain vibrant, stylish, fun, and playful even during the long winter months and I thought they may help inspire you a bit to keep your spirit and style up this season-

Don't pack away those colorful camis-even a small pop of color beneath a neutral top can liven up both your wardrobe and your day

Keep mixing it up with fun accesories like jewelery, headbands, purses, hats/gloves, and fingernail polish; it is no time to get boring!

Try a new fragrance-it's an inexpensive way to spice up your everyday

Keep active-that natural, healthy glow cannot be outdone! Don't let cold weather be your excuse to hibernate-get a new workout video or try a fun aerobics class!

Ladies don't let these chillier months get you down-just think of them as a new opportunity to express yourself and stand out from the dreary backdrop!!

Best,

Anne

Chicago Store Update!

2010-11-03T08:00:00.004-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Boston's new store manager, Tania! She was in Chicago for two days of training and meeting everyone at the Chicago Store as well as at Lill's HQ. Among many things Tania and I talked about was our 7th annual Holiday VIP party taking place on Thursday November 11th at both the Chicago and Boston boutiques. We can't wait to kick off the holiday season in our stores on the 11th - hope to see you there!

As Seen In...

2010-11-02T14:40:00.006-05:00

Hi all –
Robin here to give you a quick update on some of the fun press we’ve seen lately here at 1154 LILL Studio! So much to share:

As seen IN:
As you may have seen on our website – we were chosen for InStyle Magazine’s Best of the Web guide and couldn’t be more thrilled! (Pick up the November issue – on stands now with the amazing Rachel McAdams on the cover J) Our ERINN clutch in flocked houndstooth was featured alongside our write-up. Snap one up while we still have this luxe fabric in stock!

As seen ON:
Access Hollywood’s Laura Saltman devoted her “Dish of Salt” segment to all things Baby over the weekend of October 30th and 31st! She announced her own pregnancy on-air (Congrats, Laura!) and ran video of the “Design a Bag for a Cause” party that reality star Tenley Molzhan hosted the other week. Tenley helped Laura design a SUSAN diaper bag for baby-to-be. Bags designed at the party are being sold on our site with $10 of each going to the Young Survival Coalition. Check them out here!

Soon to be seen…
We sent bags to New York and LA for Editorial preview events last week and had a great reaction from Editors and Stylists alike! Us Weekly, InTouch, Martha Stewart Weddings, Self, Brides, Real Simple, E!, and many more grabbed samples for stories. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that 1154 LILL will make the cuts. Think good thoughts for us!

We hope to have more to share with you soon! Thanks for being such amazing fans.

-Robin Newberry

p.s. – we have been loving Twitter lately! If you’re on twitter as well, tag us or follow us! We’re at @1154_LILLStudio and would love to keep in touch with you this way. :)

Spooky or Sweet?

2010-10-29T11:44:00.004-05:00

Hey Lill Ladies!

Every year Halloween comes around and I struggle with the exact same issue...should I dress up as a gross/messy/scary character or go more along the lines of a cheerleader/tv character/ pop idol, etc? It seems to get even trickier as I get older because fewer costumes come in sizes fitting about 12+ year olds and way too often I fall in love with an idea that only a toddler could pull off! haha

Even though this may not be the best plan-of-attack, my take on this year's Halloween is to buy a great deal of candy, relax and spend all day with good friends, and hope that part-way through the day i have a "costume epiphany"...hopefully an outfit requiring no purchases, only arts and crafts ( I know it sounds a little high-maintenace, but give me a break-I'm a poor college kid!) will just appear in my mind and I will fall in love!

If worse comes to worse I will gladly put my feet up, turn on a spooky movie, and settle in with a large assortment of teeth-rotting goodies for the evening; I can easily appreciate all the elaborate costumes from my living room windows open to various local bars.

Whatever may happen I know it will be a very fun and festive weekend! I hope you all have a wonderful Halloween full of too much chocolate, great laughs, and safe spooky fun :)

Best,

Anne

Halloween at LILL

2010-10-28T15:16:00.016-05:00

Here at LILL's headquarters we celebrate birthdays each month by having a big potluck. While the theme is usually determined by those celebrating birthday's that month, the theme for October is always Halloween...deviled eggs, pumpkin muffins, and lots of very creative dishes. This year we decided to vote on the scariest dish and our Cutting Department Associate, Katie Loncar, crushed the competition! Katie covered a plastic skull in deli meat (making it stick with jelly) and used it as the centerpiece of her cheese and cracker platter.

After potluck the whole gang designed their very own LILL accessory, and I decided that I was in dire need of a Halloween inspired Jasmine to decorate my living room couch. The stripe and ruffle on Jasmine are removable, so once Halloween is over I can keep the black and white pillow on my couch without the candy corn inspired accents.

Try designing your own Jasmine! http://www.1154lill.com/shop.axd/Searchkeywords=jasmine

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

What Brings You Joy?

2010-10-22T13:31:00.007-05:00

Hey Ladies of Lill!

In one of my classes this week we've been focusing on what brings you, not just happiness, but pure joy. It can be the smallest momentos or largest of gestures; regardless, i find it important to reflect on it every so often. Day-to-day activities can become quite monotonous and burdensome, but by knowing those little things that bring you joy you can easily turn your day around.

Here a few of the things that truly bring me joy..

Newly painted nails

Peanut-butter..what can i say? PB&J never got old for me :)

Sitting with my parents on the front porch

Being at the beach-the water, sun, sand-provided free pedicure, and fresh air cannot be outdone

Fashion
Great conversations with new and old friends

I know how easy it is to lose sight of those things that reignite a fire inside of you and replace that sparkle in your eye, but this next week please work at reminding yourself of what brings you pure joy-i know you deserve it!

All the best,

Anne

Design Updates

2010-10-19T10:07:00.012-05:00

Hello LILL fans! If you've been keeping up with our blog postings you know we like to provide you with an occasional sneak peek of new styles we're working on. One of those new styles is Wendy, and this style will be released mid-November. The office has been sampling Wendy for a couple of months and we love its super cute styling and how roomy it is inside....and bonus, Wendy is reversible! Additionally, you can choose black or cream for the straps, giving you an added color choice to further customize your very own
Wendy. Let us know what you think!

To Train or Not to Train....

2010-10-15T09:01:00.007-05:00

With the holidays quickly approaching this really is the question....

While summer may be the "most important" time to be in shape because of those unforgiving bikinis, the holiday season may be just as integral.

Don't think for a second that I do not adore all the treats and trimmings that come along this time of the year, I welcome them with open arms, but staying fit throughout this feasting period can be very beneficial. Seeing as the average person adds about 10lbs to their frame during these few glorious months of celebration, it is easy to see why getting into that swimsuit come vacation time is a little painful.

What I thought i'd do this week was give a few helpful hints for enjoying the upcoming holidays while staying fit!

A Few Tips...

Don't count each and every calorie you consume-don't miss out on the dishes you love, just be aware

Use dressings and gravy sparingly-these are surprisingly high in fat and calories, so beware!

Keep drinking H2O and make sure to drink those alcoholic beverages in moderation
Do some of the outdoor chores. These activities make a difference both on your "to-do" list and on your scale!

Overall enjoy-if you add a few pounds it's not the end of the world but continuing to stay active throughout the season will make trimming those few lbs much easier come spring!

Best of luck!!

-Anne

What is Your Quintessential Fall??

2010-10-08T11:33:00.007-05:00

Hey there Lill followers! While this week of work and school has been lovely, the beautiful weather, changing leaves, smells of fall, and prospects of home have been grasping my attention most of all.

This weekend will be my first home since moving to this amazing city at the start of the semester. Other than a needed break from the hectic schedule, I am so looking forward to seeing the fall scenery in good ole' West Michigan. I thought that this week I would think about my favorite parts of fall and hopefully encourage you to reflect on your own!

Some of my favorite things include...

Walking through colorful, crunchy, fallen leaves

Being surrounded by the smell of bonfires

Picking apples and making pie
The Messines and deliciousness that comes with eating powedered sugar donuts and apple cider

Watching football games in the crisp early-evening air

The reemergence of dim-lamps and fleece blankets to cuddle into at night

How i could go on for days....but now it's your turn to relax, stop making to-do lists, and look out your windows; don't let this beautiful season just pass you by!

Hot off the Press!!

2010-10-05T12:50:00.008-05:00

1154 Lill has had quite the exciting few weeks in regards to press and upcoming publication opportunities! We wanted to share with you where Lill has shown up recently and where you can look for us in the near future.

Where we've been:

The Bachelor Pad's Tenley Molzahn loves her Lill! She has been spotted 3 times out on the town wearing her GRACE and ERINN.

Where we're going:

November's issue of InStyle will be featuring our super chic ERINN in Flocked Houndstooth.

Cross your fingers:

Good Housekeeping's "Goodlist": We sent out a variety of bags in beautiful teals, purples, and neautrals in hopes that Lill will get featured in their "Goodlist." So far they love them and shooting starts tomorrow so-keep your fingers crossed our bags get chosen!!

If you get a chance follow Lill and all the new happenings in the press via our Twitter account! http://www.twitter.com/1154_LILLStudio

By the way...

We are thrilled to be featuring a bag for a good cause on our website, and now the ELLIE Beat Breast Cancer bag is on the Young Survivors Coalition site as well!! Check it out either on our site at 1154lill or on YSC's twitter .

Design Updates

2010-10-04T08:13:00.019-05:00

If you're a true LILL fan you know we're constantly releasing new styles, and I'm happy to announce that on October 11th we have not one, but two new styles to add to the lineup. Their names are Betsy and Zoe, and we're sure you'll find them both to be a great addition to your LILL wish list.

Betsy is our smallest accessory and it's perfect for carrying around your essentials- some money, an id, some chap-stick and your keys. It's slim enough to slip in your back pocket, and a clear window on the front makes is perfect for flashing your i.d. or public transportation pass on the quick.

Zoe is our newest messenger style bag, and it's accented with your choice of a black or natural colored webbing for the trim and strap. The interior of Zoe is made with our standard black nylon, and offers three patch pockets perfect for slipping in your phone or iPod.

If you're a diehard LILL fan you know that all of our styles are named after actual people!....and Zoe happens to be named after the newest addition to my family, my brother's Aussie wife, Zoe Windeatt. We're happy to welcome her not only to the family, but to Chicago, with a new style named in her honor. Check out our name behind the bag questionnaire to learn a little more about Zoe...

What's your favorite LILL style?
The Audrey Jane! It's a close tie with the Grace, but since Audrey Jane combines both style and practicality, I can't not choose her. I am forever struggling to reduce the amount of stuff I manage to carry around with me and with this little beauty on my wrist, I think I'd do pretty well to keep everything in its rightful place and not have my arm drop off at the end of the day.

Tell us about a unique or funny thing you always carry in your bag.
I have a picture of my parents on their wedding day and $10 in Australian currency. The picture is pure sentimentality (plus my Mum hasn't aged at all) and the Aussie dollars are a nice reminder of home.

Why are you most excited to have a LILL bag named after you?
It's such a lovely surprise since I was only talking with a friend about LILL last night... I'm totally thrilled to live on forever in name at LILL and I hope everyone loves the bag as much as I do.

If you could visit one place in the entire world, where would you go?
That's a tough one! Europe for sure.

Any pets?
None at the moment, though anyone who has met me will attest that there is a 90% chance that when I'm 80, I will be the old lady who does nothing but feed squirrels all day. My husband Matt and I are planning on having a couple of dogs in a few years.. but until then, if you can't find me I may have wandered off to look at squirrels.

If you could have dinner with five people, living or deceased, who would they be?
I'd have to say my closest family members. I'd be too in awe of any famous people to be able to hold a decent conversation.

What's your favorite movie or TV show?
My guilty pleasures, Teen Mom and Cheaters. Living in America has done terrible things to my TV viewing preferences.

Who's your favorite celebrity? Ever met anyone famous?
I've never met anyone famous, but I'd love to meet the hosts of Top Gear.

What's a superpower you wish you had?
Super strong night vision - I am forever bumping into things, falling up and down stairs or tripping over my own feet. I am a walking bruise.

What's the last great book you read?
The Passage by Justin Cronin was incredible - a nasty bat virus from the South American rainforest + secret government research = mutated humans with row after row of needle sharp teeth and less than one hundred people left alive in the world.. and the power is going out. Yep, it's as creepy as it sounds.

Who would you consider to be your hero or mentor?
My mama.

Have a favorite food or recipe?
Salt & vinegar chips... and everything Italian!

Any hobbies?
My greatest vice is online shopping - and my most long-lasting hobby would be playing video games. I'm an only child, so I've always been able to entertain myself pretty easily.

-Mandy Rogic
Design Director

Fall is in Full Swing!

2010-10-01T13:38:00.007-05:00

Happy Friday, friends of Lill!

This week has been nothing short of exciting, both as an intern for Lill and a new Chicago city-dweller! While I had the opportunity to explore Navy Pier, spend time with old and new friends, try new forms of exercise and cuisine i also ran into a minor glitch...

This week I came down with a slight case of the flu...so I thought in the spirit of fighting off this disasterous bug I would share a few tips (some tried and true and others I had yet to come across) on how to stay healthy this time of year:

Don't eat too many sweets- sugar will not help your immune system one bit!

If you need to sneeze or cough, do so you into your elbow just so that you don't share the "joy" with everyone on the train. However, I do understand when the hand-shield is the only way and in that case please just wash your hands...

Sleep more (because i'm guessing you don't do this enough now) and drink water like it's your job.

Find a little alone-time to destress.Giving your body a little break can do nothing but help

Missing a day of work this week was a definite dissapointment because Lill is in constant forward motion; I don't want to miss a beat! Some of the themes being focused on this week include:

What's NEW for the holiday season

Possible new themes for online

New DEALS (keep your eyes peeled for those both on our website and Facebook!!!)

Brainstorming spring merchandise ideas

As this next week comes around remember to keep an eye out for great styles and deals and please stay healthy so you can enjoy this wonderful autumn season!!

All the best,

Anne

-Lill's College Marketing Intern

Our Turn to Be the Customer!

2010-09-30T13:42:00.006-05:00

For forever at LILL HQ we've had a monthly potluck lunch tradition where those with birthdays in the month choose a food theme and everyone contributes something to a potluck meal. It is something everyone looks forward to each month. In fact we like potlucks so much it was a major factor in the design of the office lunchroom layout - including the massive 6' x 20' island. We just had to make sure we had enough room for everyone's treats each month...

About a month ago we added to this tradition by including a handbag design party for staff as part of the potluck. Now, each month during the potluck we draw names of a few styles staff can choose from to design. Then everyone pairs up to take turns being the stylist and the customer to help each other design and place an order. My hope in adding this was that the staff who primarily works at headquarters vs. in the field directly with customers would get a sense of what it was like to be at a party or to work as a Store Stylist or as a LILL on Location Rep. My goal is to use the staff bag parties to help us make better decisions about fabrics, styles, selling processes etc to improve our overall customer experience - and the big bonus - each staff member would be treated to a new LILL product each month.

What I didn't fully count on was how much fun it would be to change hats and just be the customer for a change. I'd forgotten how much fun it is to mix and match fabrics for myself - I'd become accustomed to the instant gratification of the ready-made and hadn't actually designed one for myself in a while, and especially not a party setting. By the time I was done selecting the combination for my Hadley bag, I was giddy with excitement and couldn't wait to see how my bag and those of other staff I helped design would turn out. I could see the same excitement on the faces of the rest of the staff. The wait was over last Friday when we got everyone back together to ohh and ahh over the finished products. I must say we created some really beautiful bags that fit each person to a tee. It was the quintessential LILL experience. It gave everyone who participated a renewed appreciation for the LILL products and experience as the customer sees it. I definitely think it accomplished the goal and more. Check out the photo of some of our staff with the bags they designed...

We had our second potluck bag party yesterday - this month's bag choices were special occasion bags. Erinn was the big winner as almost everyone designed that style. In a few weeks we'll present everyone's finished products. There were so many fun combinations, I can't wait to see them completed! I just love being the customer!

Happy Designing!
Jen Velarde

What I'm Loving (this) Wednesday

2010-09-29T21:11:00.009-05:00

Hey all you LILL fans,

I hope everyone is having an amazing week. Here are a few things that I am loving (and so should you) this week:

1) The rest of our Fall fabrics are finally here, check out Adrienne's blog from earlier this week for more details, but I'm a HUGE fan of Raspberry Fizz (amazing texture), Grass Green, and I never thought I would say this, but our new Meow fabric is awesome, if you're looking to go a little bold with your Fall bag.

2) I'm not as obsessed as some of my friends (Jamie), but OPI just launched their new Winter line - "The Burlesque Collection." From first sight my top two favorites are Bring on the Bling and Let Me Entertain You - the collection hits shelves in October. These will be perfect to pair with your adorable ERINN or GRACE in one of our sassy fabrics for all your holiday parties (think Glamorous, Silver Sheen, Ivory Sheen, Onyx Rays, and Raspberry Fizz among others).

3) Our Online Pick of the week - make sure any pick up a LILLI this week for only $126. LILLI is the perfect bag to take to work, on a plane, to the gym, around town, or on an over-nighter. Pick one for yourself, or start marking people off your holiday shopping list. After all, who doesn't want to be styling while stuck in the airport (all of the compliments are sure to cheer you up a bit). Go ahead design one...you won't regret it, especially at this price. http://www.1154lill.com/shop.axd/CustomBagProduct?bagnbr=193

4)I'm also loving all of the new shows on TV right now (that God for DVR). I'm still trying to understand The Event (I hope I'm not alone on this one), but you can't go wrong with Glee, Modern Family, House, Top Chef Just Desserts, and for a little guilty pleasure, yes, I still watch Gossip Girl. Gosh this makes me sound like all I do is watch TV, I'm also reading an amazing book right now called The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, a very compelling fictional story told based out of the life of a woman in the Book of Genesis.

5) Loving these Style Tips on ELLE.com check them out, what girl couldn't use some advice (or a refresher every now and again). My favorite tip: Create a Signature Look...could this SCREAM 1154 Lill Studio any more??? Enjoy: http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20368643_20385732_20784931,00.html

That's it from me this week, back soon with more of my fav's. Have a great rest of your week, and feel free to email me with what you are loving this week and I may just include it in my next blog entry.

Morgan
morgan@1154lill.com

Are you ready for Spring?

2010-09-27T11:46:00.021-05:00

Can you believe we are already looking at fabrics for Spring? We have done a rough pick of what we might buy for Spring 2011. Nothing is final yet, these are just a sneak peek. The last image below is the Spring/Summer 2011 Pantone colors.

New job, new opportunities, new LOVE for Lill!

2010-09-24T12:25:00.015-05:00

A fresh hello to all of you Lill fans from Anne, the new marketing intern. I am so genuinely excited to be a part of this wonderful team and ready to share some of my experiences along the way with you!

First off, I'll tell you a snip-it about me...

I'm a senior at Calvin College (located in Grand Rapids, MI).

I'm studying Business, Economics, and Marketing but my true passions are design and fashion.

How I got this opportunity is through a semester program that sets students up with internships and classes in the beautiful city of Chicago!

The past 3 or 4 weeks have been nothing short of a whirlwind but here are a few of the things I have already enjoyed:

Meeting some great people.

Eating indescribably good food.

Experiencing many sporting events and free forms of entertainment (seeing as i'm still a student and on a rather tight budget).

Learning so much from my job and already falling in love with a number of Lill's handbags, but I especially have my eye on the ERINN in Glamorous and anything in the new fabric Animal Instinct!

Hoping you have all have been enjoying this past week and that the next is filled with wonderful fall weather and activities to match!

-Anne

Chicago Store Update!

2010-09-22T08:00:00.004-05:00

It is hard to pick what is the most important wedding day accessory... the shoes or the bag? Our LILL bride Karin is not only going to have the coolest shoes on her wedding day thanks to Lori's Shoes, but a fun Holly bag to match! She was in the Chicago Store last Thursday to design a Holly Bag for her and one for her sister, the maid of honor. Karin's Holly is going to be in Sintra Garden with a Pearl Sateen Lining. The purple and beige tones in the flocked fabric accent all the same colors in the gems on her peep toe heels. She went with Fall Fields for her sister's Holly bag to bring in the fall colors of her wedding which is coming up in October! Best wish to Karin and her groom - We can't wait to see pictures of the complete look!

What I’m Loving (this) Wednesday

2010-09-15T14:24:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the Web Division all you LILL fans, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the things that I’m loving (obsessing) about this week.

1) Sample Sale, Sample Sale, Sample Sale: If you’re in Chicago this Saturday, head on over to our Headquarters for the sale, amazing gifts (for yourself and others) at prices you can’t beat. Doors open at 8 am. It’s never too early to start Christmas shopping. Check out the Sample Sale Exclusive BELLA bag:

2) The fact that it’s my birthday this week – minus the fact that I’m turning one year older.

3) My new ANDI in Flocked Houndstooth – as Jen mentioned earlier this week, I’m falling for flocking myself – can’t wait to get my bag next week and start sporting it all around Chicago this Fall.

4) The Pick of the Week – design a fun and fashionable BRIANNA for yourself, or choice from one of the great ready-mades on our website, only $88 until 9.19.10 Shop Ready-Made Brianna's

5) I registered for the Hot Chocolate 15/5K this week – who doesn’t love a Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate Fondue and many other chocolate treats waiting for you at a finish line – check it out and sign-up with some friends! http://www.hotchocolate15k.com/

6) This article on Elle.com “The Twenty-Something’s – Poised to SHAKE OUR WORLD”
http://www.elle.com/Fashion/Fashion-Spotlight/The-Quarterbacks-Our-Favorite-25-Somethings

7) Loving my obnoxiously bold new workout shoes – in my mind they are the LILL version of footwear:

8) Falling in love with Fall and all the fashions that come with it….scarves are still big this year, loving this steal from Forever 21 (under $7) – would pair amazingly with a bag in Animal Instinct.
I hope everyone is having an amazing week, spoil yourself and design a fun new 1154 LILL bag for yourself this Fall – you won’t regret it.

Morgan

Sample SALE Saturday!

2010-09-14T14:50:00.004-05:00

We are so excited for our 4th Sample Sale event this Saturday at LILL HQ - hope you can make it for amazing 40%- 80% off steals on ready-made samples bags, accessories, fabrics and more!

Date: Saturday, September 18th

Time: 8-12 Doors open at 8am - be there early!

Place: LILL HQ - 1511 W. 38th Street, Chicago IL 60609 (note: this event is at LILL HQ - NOT at our store location)

We have TONS of cute bags in stock for this sale - as well as lots of extra help to keep the sales floor as organized as possible. So bring your friends and get ready to scoop up some great bags for yourselves and for gifts!

Falling For Flocking

2010-09-14T10:09:00.005-05:00

As the fall season gets fully under way, I find myself gravitating towards all things textural. Fall has always been my favorite season for dressing - I love the look of layers and the possibilities of combining colors, patterns and textures in a new way. At LILL, it is also my favorite time of year as our fall fabrics always include an aray of rich colors and textures - my favorite of which is flocking. Flocking is a process of creating texture by applying small particles of fabric to create a pattern with a velvety feel. The raised flocked texture creates a striking visual appeal and adds an extra dimension to the design and the tactile experience of the fabric. I am loving our flocked offerings this year. Check out the photo of some of my favorites - Clockwise - Flocked Houndstooth, Dottie, Whippany Paisley, Flocked Tiger and Red Sea. The patterns really pop when you add a colorful accent. If initial Fall orders are any indication, I'm not the only one falling for flocking. Happy Designing!

-Jen Velarde

More Fall fabrics!

2010-09-13T10:00:00.003-05:00

New Fall fabrics are coming in a few weeks! Keep your eye out for the NEW! in the custom bag design fabric section. We added this feature to keep you in the loop.

From left to right: Apricot Floral, Raspberry Fizz, Gold Mine, Meow, Grass Green, Roses are Red, Onyx Rays, Belladonna Floral.

Happy designing!

This week in the Cutting Department

2010-09-09T09:08:00.008-05:00

Katie, Erika, Sandra, and I are finishing up this week's orders. We are getting ready to assemble each individual order and send them to sewing. We cannot believe that every week, our customers continually come up with new and fresh combinations!

-Imelda

A special ELLIE for Katie...

2010-09-08T15:10:00.035-05:00

Like many others, Jen and I have been on the sidelines of the Breast Cancer fight thru the years. We’ve known women who have been affected by the disease, but it’s always been just a step or two outside of our immediate circle of family and friends. That changed for us both this summer when a dear friend received her diagnosis.

Katie Weiss Torres is only 36 years old and had no history of breast cancer in her family. Jen and I remember talking after she found a lump this spring. Surely it would prove to be a simple cyst; we all agreed she was too young for it to be cancer. But the biopsy came back and showed us we were wrong. On June 1st of this year Katie was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma - Breast Cancer.

Katie had a bi-lateral mastectomy in mid July and is currently undergoing aggressive Chemotherapy treatments to tackle her cancer once and for all. Her current treatment plan has her continuing Chemo through the end of this year.

Katie has always had a great sense of humor and is an amazing storyteller. The consummate hostess, she always feels the need to make sure everyone is having fun, enjoying themselves, included in the conversation. And while she’s trying to work on focusing on herself now vs. taking care of others – it’s amazing to see how she commands and lights up a room even when she feels sick. Her strength, humor, honesty and grace continue to shine brightly and it is apparent to all who know her that she is passing these traits on to her three-year old daughter, Lulu. Lulu is bright, charming and sassy, exactly like her mom.

When cancer affects someone you love there can be such a sense of helplessness and frustration. You want to be able to do something to help in the fight. Jen and I are no different and wanted to come up with a way to offer our support to Katie’s fight. We decided we would ask her to design a bag and then donate the proceeds from its sale both to her and a charity of her choice. Katie chose the ELLIE tote and designed one in “Voila”. This bag will be sold online for the duration of her Chemo treatments, with $15 going directly to Katie, and another $10 going to Young Survival Coalition.

Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the premier global organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. YSC offers resources, connections and outreach so women feel supported, empowered and hopeful. Working with survivors, caregivers and the medical, research, advocacy and legislative communities YSC strives to ensure that no young women is left to face breast cancer alone

We hope you will join us in supporting our friend and other young women diagnosed with breast cancer. You can view and purchase "Katie's bag" here. Thank you!

-Jen Velarde, 1154 LILL Studio founder and president
-Robin Newberry, 1154 LILL Studio vice president

p.s. - The photo of Katie at the top and the photo collage were both taken by another friend who is an amazing photographer. Check out Bridget Stern's website at http://www.bridgetsternphotography.com/.

Chicago Store Update!

2010-09-08T08:30:00.005-05:00

Hello! Join us for a party at the Chicago Store this fall for great deals! With the release of our newest style Ellie, party hostesses are able to design their very own for free. Ellie is the perfect simple but classic tote for just about anything. The party hostess is not the only one this month who saves - all your guest will save 15% on a purchase of $125 or more. Gather your girlfriends and join us on Armitage for a girls day out! See you there!

To book your next 1154 LILL party, visit us at www.1154lill.com.

Celeb & Press update!

2010-09-07T16:32:00.011-05:00

Hello all!

First of all, the 12th Annual “Day of Indulgence” event at producer Jennifer Klein’s home in LA last month was fabulous! Intimate, relaxed and chic, it was girly networking at its best. We brought along our GRACE and ERINN clutches and the reaction to the fabrics and our design-your-own concept was overwhelming. Jennifer Garner, Debra Messing, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jennifer Morrison, Connie Britton, Marley Shelton and more had so much fun designing LILL Bags of their own. They were all so sweet and down to earth!

Check out some of the black & white ERINN combos Jen G, Debra and Michelle created. InStyle Magazine covered the event – and you can JUST see Jen and I in the background of this pic they posted online. Does this count as “half” our 15 minutes of fame?

Speaking of InStyle Magazine – we were thrilled to learn that we’ll be featured in the upcoming November issue. Look for 1154 LILL in the “Web Guide” section.

In addition, an InStyle writer named Jenni has a blog called “I Spy DIY”. She fell in love with LILL and will be posting about us soon! Check out her blog in the meantime, it’s inspiring and so creative!

Other bloggers are loving LILL as well! Several “mommy blogs” have reviewed our SUSAN diaper bag, giving it high marks for not only creativity but also functionality and style. Several of these bloggers are also doing giveaways so check them out!

-Look What Mom Found
-My Sentiment ExactLee
-Katie Talks About
-Guessing All The Way

And finally – it’s always fun to see LILL bags on the arms of actresses and reality stars. Check out some pics of LILL bags “on the scene”. Tenley Molzahn of "The Bachelor" and "Bachelor Pad" carries her GRACE to an ET Emmy's party. Aynsley Bubbico and Amber Stevens of the ABC Family show "GREEK" picked up our new ELLIE totes during an event hosted by Maria Menounos for Yoplait Greek Yogurt in LA.

We hope to have more fun news to share soon! Take care!

-Robin

Fall 2010 Fabrics

2010-07-28T07:36:00.004-05:00

Hello from the world of fabrics. I am so excited about our Fall palette that came out last week. There are so many great black and white flocked fabrics choose (Flocked Houndstooth anyone?) to choose from as well as brighter jewel toned prints. My fav so far is glamorous. It’s such a great color and the slight sheen makes it great for day or night. I made a quick video to show you some of the new fabrics. Check it out here.

We have broken our palete into five groups:

Black and Blue - blues, greens, greys and black. The basics which will match almost anything.

Bridal- a little fancier fabrics in the neutral category. We finally have a great Silver. Harvest- your warmer browns and oranges. The colors that make you think of comfort and the fall.

Vivacious- blues, purples and fuchsia’s. A brighter pallet for those of you who don’t let the winter drag you down.

Flocked- the basic reds and blacks with a twist. All of these patterns are flocked, but have a lot of personality.

It’s so hard to think of Fall right now in the middle of this hot summer. I just got back from NYC for my birthday and was inspired by the crazy fashions of New York. Anything goes, which is going to be my new motto for the next decade of my life.

Enjoy your summer and some new fabrics!
Adrienne

The "Stars" of LILL

2010-07-12T11:15:00.008-05:00

Hello! Here at LILL we know our best advertising is our customers! We can’t thank all of you enough for being the amazing “brand ambassadors” that you are. We love knowing that you are getting complimented on your bags by strangers on the street – and that you are telling people about and showing off the one-of-a-kind designs that you created! Thank you!

In conjunction with this great word-of-mouth marketing, we are also busy with traditional marketing avenues including PR. We recently started working with a PR firm that also reps the amazing Joe’s jeans & Bando headbands among others (we’re big fans!). We’ve been sending out press samples for magazines such as Real Simple, People, Health, Brides, etc. (psst...trend report: Animal prints seem to be a BIG request for the Fall – expect to see a lot of this in the glossies come September!).

In addition, Jen and I will be attending an event in a few weeks that has us really excited: It’s producer Jennifer Klein’s annual “Day of Indulgence” party for the top ladies of Hollywood, including actresses, writers, directors & studio execs as well as editors from magazines including InStyle. We’re including a makeup bag in the gift bags as well as hosting a custom-design table where the guests can design their own LILL bags. We’re fully expecting to be a little star struck, and think it will be fun to see the likes of Debra Messing, Amy Adams, Julia Roberts & Jessica Biel in person. Report to come after the event!

While this event will be fun, we know our true “stars” are YOU – our amazing customers and friends! Thank you again for being such loyal LILL fans!

-Robin Newberry

Intern Update - College Campaign

2010-07-09T11:38:00.008-05:00

Hey Ladies!! Just an update on the college campaign we’ve been working on. We have decided to launch the Campus Chic line initially on two campuses: Northwestern and University of Wisconsin-Madison, so look out for us there! The first Campus Chic bag is going to be called ELLIE (look for a sneak peak soon)!! Other than that, we are currently working on a Campus Chic web page and a Facebook Fan Page.

Aside from working on the college campaign, we’ve, also, been spotting some cute college fashions.

DeVonna is a HUGE fan of the tribal, Native American look, especially the jewelery!

Alison absolutely loves denim shirts! Denim shirts with boots, denim shirts with fun skirts, denim, denim, denim! Plus, denim goes with every LILL fabric!

Sibei went to the beach this past weekend and was inspired by a group of women confidently embracing chic, edgy, and daring one piece swimsuits such as this. In a generation where two-piece swimwear is the social “norm,” why not express your unique self by revisiting a former trend!

Chicago Store Update!

2010-07-08T15:17:00.002-05:00

What better way to celebrate summer than with a new bag?? Lucky for you we have some great deals going on the month of July at the Chicago store. I am really excited about our current in-store promotion – buy one bag and get a second for 25% off! Personally I love to keep my bags organized with the Nancy and Samantha accessories. This promo lets you add on that extra matching accessory… and you get a great deal on it!

Reminder to all Chicago LILL fans - the weekend of July 17th & 18th is the annual Armitage, Halstead, and Webster Sidewalk Sale! Get great deals off ready made bags at LILL and all of your other favorite Lincoln Park boutiques. Discounts up to 75% off!

Hope to see you at the Chicago store soon!

Rachel
Chicago Store Manager

ONLINE DEAL - Pick of the Week

2010-07-07T12:12:00.005-05:00

Check out our amazing online deal this week. Get our stylish ANDI bag for ONLY $110 - over a 20% savings (Enter Promo Code: ANDI at checkout). Each week this July we will feature a different bag at an amazing discount!

Life as a LILL Intern

2010-07-02T08:35:00.002-05:00

Hey LILL Community!
My name is Becca Heitz and I am pumped to be the new Social Media & Ecommerce intern here at 1154 LILL Studio!

To tell you a “LILL” about me… I grew up in Naperville, IL and I came to the city for college- to break out of the whole suburban lifestyle. I will be a junior at DePaul University this fall and I’m majoring in Public Relations and Advertising. I am a member of DePaul’s PRSSA chapter (Public Relations Student Society of America) and it has opened many doors for me including networking, various agency visits and workshops on professional careers in PR and Advertising.

Aside from my professional direction in life, I love singing and acting and I’ve been doing both since I was very LILL =) A great thing about living in Chicago is easy access to BROADWAY Chicago. In my opinion, LIVE theatre beats that new 3-D approach to entertainment. If you’re in town GO to the THEATRE! You won’t regret it!!

I am so excited to have this internship for the summer! On my first day, I felt very welcomed at LILL. I was introduced to the whole LILL staff including all the people working hard on the production side of things in the cutting and sewing departments (I don’t know how they do it!) The whole process amazes me - and they do everything right here in this building! I was also treated to lunch on my first day (very grateful for that and it beat the PB & J sandwich I brought). I got to meet the other interns and sat in on a meeting where they pitched a new bag idea and it was very cool to see their professional approach and helpful insight into how to appeal to college students. They are all so sweet and I can’t wait to see what fun ideas they are brewing up!

Design Update

2010-07-01T07:38:00.003-05:00

Here at LILL we’re always working at least one season ahead, so we’re already making decisions about which new styles we’ll be releasing early next year. While we always look to our customers for input, our staff proves to be a great resource for getting feedback on our prototypes for upcoming releases. Currently the LILL staffers are testing out Maya, a bag we’ll be releasing this August that serves as a great everyday bag for work or class. Its clean lines allow you to choose some wild fabrics (if that’s your thing), or you can keep it classic with some tried and true combos, like black and white. Maya has three fabric choices for the exterior of the bag and an interior offered in our standard nylon, making it easy to clean after you inevitably spill the contents of your lunch. With a total of 7 pockets and some pocket slots to store your pens or makeup, Maya promises to keep you organized. Its larger size accommodates an oversized laptop and its removable base allows you to use it when you see fit. We hope you love it and find Maya to be your new go-to LILL bag.

After an exciting six months of releases (have you seen the LINKS collection yet?) we still have the second half of the year to look forward to. We have a few more styles up our sleeves, but you’ll have to stay tuned for some more sneak peeks!

LILL on Location

2010-06-27T18:55:00.003-05:00

Can you believe we have reached the week of Fourth of July holiday already? This summer has been flying by so far and all of us here at LILL have been trying to pack our weekends full of Chicago summer fun.

I know summer is supposed to be all about great outdoor activities and soaking up the summer sun, but there are days – like when the temperature is recorded in triple digits and it’s so humid your hair develops a personality all of its own – that you and your friends just need something to do indoors. Those sorts of hot summer days are perfect for a LILL party – you get to be with your friends, do something creative, pass judgment on each others bag designs (or is it just my friends who do that?) and it can all happen in cool, air-conditioned comfort. Add some frozen margaritas and some tasty black bean/mango salsa (it’s crazy good!) and you’ve got a perfect summer girlfriend get together.

How can you make this happen? Just request a party. Our LILL on Location handbag party program has Reps in cities all across the country and they often have exclusive specials and offers for the party guests. This July, for instance, the LILL Reps are offering an extra $50 discount to all returning hostesses and that’s in addition to July’s “Buy One, Get One at 25% Off!” promo. That makes for some pretty sweet deals to be had all July long.

So instead of just watching those summer temps climb higher and higher and wondering what you can do to stay cool, go ahead and put in your request for a LILL party. Invite your friends and prepare to score some hot summer deals with our LILL on Location Reps.

See you this July!

Kate

LILL Bit about the Summer Interns

2010-06-27T17:38:00.003-05:00

LILL is excited to introduce you to three of our summer interns!

Hey LILLers!

My name is Sibei, I am one of the summer marketing interns for 1154 LILL Studio and cannot be any more excited for a summer filled with fashion, colors, designs and friendship with the other interns!

My first impression of LILL was how all the colors, prints, and shapes popped out and brought out the extra-girliness and femininity hidden within me. All of the bags and fabric samples totally hyped up my creative juices. Not to mention everyone here is super nice, fun, and colorful, just like the totes bags we sell!

This Spring I attended the University of Chicago Women in Business Conference and met Jen, the founder of LILL. As she was talking about her business, I became engaged in the idea of designing your own bag and especially liked how the company represents women empowerment. I decided that LILL is not only a place to gain marketing, design, and entrepreneurial experience, but is also a place where I could work in a field I love (I know it may sound cheesy, but it’s true!).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My name is Alison Heine and I am one of the new marketing interns at 1154 LILL Studio. LILL is such a great company and an amazing place to get some practical marketing and fashion experience at the same time. The fun colors, prints and designs of LILL bags definitely reflect the personalities of everyone here!
I recently graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans. The past four years of my life consisted of meeting amazing friends, enjoying the Big Easy, as well as graduating with high honors in Marketing, Management and Sociology. After my internship with LILL I am headed off to Sydney, Australia to work, travel, and have the time of my life before I really have to head into the real world.
Now that I am at LILL, the other interns and I are focusing on exposing the company and their great bags to the college market. During our amazing summer internship we will keep you updated with new designs, fun happenings, and other news at LILL.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello ladies!!!! My name is DeVonna and I am one of theMarketing Interns at LILL. I’m entering my junior year at Syracuse University with a double major in Marketing and Human Resources (lots of work!).I am SUPER excited to be here for 8 weeks!!! Because I am a college student, I have a great insight and a fresh outlook on how LILL can reach the college market. This should be a really fun project and an awesome experience for me, not to mention the great networking and connections I am gaining.

On my first day I got to suggest fabrics for the “Erinn” clutch to be used in a showroom for celebrity stylists to choose from. It was so much fun because I actually got to be involved in the design aspect of the business. So far, I am enjoying being part of the team here. Everyone in the office is so friendly, and I admire their professional mannerisms as well. The interior design of the office is really fun and creative! My favorite thing about interning at LILL is getting exposure in the fashion industry. I’ve always LOVED handbags/accessories (I’m borderline obsessed). I have over 75 handbags and totes, so learning more about the design and production sides of the business is an added bonus. During my internship I hope to learn more about the trends in fashion accessories and how they change over time.

So you will be hearing from us lots more throughout the next few weeks. We are all absolutely ECSTACTIC to be interning at LILL!!!

Reuniting with Friends!

2010-06-25T08:28:00.005-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I went to a reunion weekend of college friends. We met up on our old campus - Drake University - and stayed in our former sorority house for the weekend. (Check out the pic of some of the group on the "anchor" in front of the Delta Gamma house). About half of our pledge class was able to attend. With songs from our senior year playing on an iPod - it felt like yesterday. What a great time! We caught up on life as friends arrived in the newly updated "upper liv" as it was called in my day. Facebook had reconnected us and spurred this weekend reunion. As a bonus, it also helped introduce my business to the women I went to with, but had lost touch with over the years.

I was flattered to see many of my "sisters" whom I had not seen in years sporting LILL bags as they arrived. As the collection of bags grew, it was fun to talk about each one and how each person had come to own their "LILL bag." There was Theresa with her CHARLIE (she had also designed her daughter a matching CHLOE), Ally with her DONNA, Kris with her MAGGIE, DENISE and ANNE, Polly with her SANDRA and DENISE, Wendy with her HADLEY.... I was sporting a bag from our new LINKS Collection - the LEXIE. Over the weekend I changed my LEXIE up to become a shoulder bag, a messenger bag and a backpack. It was the perfect bag for all of the weekend activities!

I loved reconnecting with this group of old friends. It reminded me of the fun you can have when you get a group of women together and start talking style. It was fun to get ready to go out in our old "big dorm" and "small dorm" bathrooms, to try on various outfits and accessories and get your girlfriend's opinion. And while it wasn't a weekend about bags or LILL at all, it reaffirmed the root of our business - women love to help each other design and be stylish. Get a group of women together; add bags and fabrics and you are guaranteed a good time. We hope to make this an annual event and next time, a LILL ON LOCATION party is definitely on the agenda!

Fabric Update

2010-06-24T08:37:00.001-05:00

Hello all from Chicago! I just returned from a fabric show in North Carolina and have some exciting trends to report. First of all, the fabric manufacturers are really sticking to the pantone color pallet this fall, www.pantone.com Turquoise is still a hot color, but paired with a more muted/toned down grayish brown. Yellow and grey are still big, but the yellow is more of a golden yellow, aka coin yellow. I also noticed a lot of fuchsia, dusty rose, and dull purple. This fall will definitely feel warmer and less drab with these brighter colors, which is great for our long Chicago winters. Ikat is still around and we added a few for Fall, one named The Green Mill, (a bar in Chicago all you city girls should check out) and a black one that will be here in August - name to be determined. Another one of my favorites for the upcoming Fall/Winter is hounds tooth. We picked up a black flocked version (everyone loves flocking) that is very sophisticated and classy. I think this fabric will be a huge hit. Well, that’s it for now. I’ll keep you updated on the new fabrics coming to LILL!

Adrienne

Jillian Harris shown sporting LILL bag!

2010-03-10T13:12:00.003-06:00

Jillian Harris was featured in the March 15th edition of OK! Magazine carrying our stylish Erinn clutch! Jillian looked gorgeous at Molly & Jason's Bachelor Wedding! We couldn't be more thrilled to have her as such a loyal customer! If you'd like to design your very own Erinn bag, just like Jillian's just go to our website http://www.1154lill.com/ and start designing! The Erinn is the perfect accessory for the upcoming wedding season!

Winner # 4

2010-03-01T14:46:00.003-06:00

Our fourth party host winner is Alex Brown. We had a little email mix up, so it took a little longer to get her notified and get her responses to our questions... But, she was thrilled to hear that she had won our drawing after hosting a party with our San Francisco rep, Jenn. The bags ordered at her party were just received by her guests and were met with rave reviews! One of the attendees at her party loved it so much she just hosted her own this past Thursday. Here are Alex's responses to our questions:

How did you first hear about 1154 LILL?
"I cannot remember how I first heard about 1154 LILL. I believe it was through a friend who lived in Chicago. I was there visiting in 2005 and my friend and went to the store there. I believed we designed about 6 bags for our friends and family. We were having such a great time with all the fabrics and the different styles. Throughout the years, I have continued to visit the Chicago and Boston stores and always find time to create a bag."

What is the best party about hosting an 1154 LILL party?
"The best part about hosting was having 1154 LILL come to you. It was nice to have a group of friends around chatting and catching up while being creative and designing bags. Having Jenn come to my house really made things easy, and it was a stress free way of getting the ladies together for something different than just cocktails. We actually talked about doing one of these parties back in August while on a bachelorette trip but finally got around to doing it in January. Better late than never."

What is your favorite 1154 LILL style?
"My favorite style bag the Andi. I think it is the perfect size to be able to put everything in your purse. My mother and sister designed one in Boston a couple years back, and I was so jealous of the end result that I ended up having to borrow the bag long term. Another great one is Christie. I take it on every vacation I have. I just love how great everything fits in there and how easy it is to clean especially the inside."

What would you like to see 1154 LILL do in the future?
"As for 1154 LILL in the future, I think keep up what you are doing. I think people have been spreading the word and you make good quality products that was is not to love about it. I did enjoy that you have added new products i.e. the Pillows. I think that is definitely a good idea. Overall, I think if you were to try to open another store perhaps somewhere out on the west coast you would have great success with it."

Thank you for hosting and enjoy your new Maddie Jane Design A Bag Kit!

Best,
Jen

Share the LILL Love... and Get Rewarded!

2010-02-15T11:06:00.005-06:00

Share the LILL Love (and now – Get Rewarded for doing so!)
It’s a simple fact: LILL wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for YOU. I feel so honored to have customers who share their love of LILL with friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, clients and even strangers, expecting nothing in return but a shared excitement over the collaborative and creative design of their treasured LILL Bags. Those they tell come away with a fondness for our company and an excitement about designing their own LILL Bag in the future. It’s a business owners dream to turn her customers into active marketers of her business and now its time to recognize those efforts and give back for all the wonderful word of mouth marketing you do for us!

Today, I am thrilled to announce the start of a new program called LILL's Referrals & Rewards Club! It's simple - just apply to be a member by filling out an online application. Once accepted, you'll receive a one-of-a-kind link that you can post, blog about, tweet and share. For every online sale that comes from your link you'll earn a percentage back in the form of a LILL E-Gift Certificate. Easy, simple & fun! Use the gift certificates to treat yourself to a new bag in that adorable fabric you've been obsessing about. The more you post and share, the more you can earn! I can see your "collection" of LILL bags growing now....

Check out all the details of our new program here and apply today!

Happy Sharing!
Jen Velarde

Our New LINKS Collection!

2010-02-08T10:52:00.008-06:00

This month we launched the first pieces in our new LINKS Collection. What is LINKS, you may ask? Well, its a new twist on designing with our products. From LILL's beginnings, we have focused on designing our handbags by choosing from one of our set silhouettes and selecting fabrics for various parts of the bag. Ten years in, we are ready to offer something new - a way to build your own silhouette by choosing components that "link" together to create unique looks - thus our new "LINKS Collection." Our first few pieces include a large tote body (LILLI), a medium rectangular pouch (ISABEL), a small wallet sized pouch (NANCY), and 2 strap choices (2 short straps, or one long adjustable strap). With these 5 pieces you can do so many things. And, what's great about it is that the individual pieces all work together. So, you can start with one bag and as you add more pieces, you'll be adding to your design possibilities. The more pieces you have the more looks you can create! And, there are more on the horizon... we are currently working on the next body piece that will be introduced later this spring. Its a look you'll love now and for seasons to come!

I attached a few of my favorite looks here, but check out our website to see more and peak at a video! The LINKS collection is currently available in stores and at parties through our LILL On Location program - be the first to start your "collection" by hosting a party or visiting one of our stores!

LILLI with short straps worn full....LILLI with short straps worn cinched...LILLI with an ISABEL or NANCY as accent...LILLI with long adjustable strap....ISABEL with long adjustable strap....ISABEL with NANCY and long adjustable strap.... just to name a few combinations....

We can't wait to see what you all create!

-Jen Velarde

Winner # 3

2010-02-08T10:29:00.006-06:00

Our week 3 winner of the Design a Bag Kit is Sara Armstrong! Sara hosted a party with our Indianapolis rep, Amy after learning about 1154 LILL from her sister-n-law. At the party she picked out an adorable Drea reversible handbag (pictured to left) and a fun spring Carolina wallet. Next she'll get to try her hand at designing a Maddie Jane with the Design a Bag Kit that is on its way to her. Can't wait to see what she picks out! Here are the answers to the questions we asked her about 1154 LILL:

How did you hear about 1154 LILL?

"My fabulous Sister-In-Law and all of her friends have 1154 Lill bags. We try to get together one night each month for a "Ladies Night". What better way to have fun with the girls than to design purses!"

What is the best part about hosting a party with 1154 LILL?

"Being able to have everyone together at my house and sharing ideas with each other."

What is your favorite bag style and why?

"My favorite style is the Drea because its two bags in one!"

What would you like to see 1154 LILL do in the future?

"Keep offering more designs!"

Enjoy your new bags Sara!

-Jen Velarde

2010-01-29T08:59:00.007-06:00

For the month of January we are drawing the name of one lucky party hostess a week to win one of our new Design A Bag Kits. Our winner from week two is Leslie Smith! She hosted a party with Courtney, our Richmond, VA rep. Leslie ordered a Susan diaper bag in December after seeing her friend's bag. She loved her new diaper bag so much she hosted her own party where she designed a Hadley. Her design is pictured to the left - so cute! We asked Leslie to tell us a little about her experiences with LILL. Here are the answers to the questions we asked her:

How did you first hear about 1154 LILL?

"My friend attended and later hosted a party. I loved her diaper bag so much that I had to order one for myself!"

What is the best part about hosting a party with 1154 LILL?
"The best part about hosting the party is giving people the opportunity to experience 1154 Lill. The fabrics are amazing and you really don't get the full effect without seeing them in person. The opportunity to design an original bag is something I think everyone should experience!"

What is your favorite LILL style?
"My favorite bag, thus far, is the Susan -- It is the best diaper bag, ever!"

What would you like to see 1154 LILL do in the future?
"I love 1154 Lill -- There is no need to change!"

Thank you, Leslie, for hosting a party and sharing your love of LILL with your friends! We look forward to seeing what you design next!

Happy Designing!

Jen Velarde

Our first party hostess winner!

2010-01-20T15:25:00.007-06:00

For the month of January we are drawing the name of one lucky party hostess a week to win one of our new Design A Bag Kits. Our winner from week one is Tara Lamboley who hosted a party in our Chicago Store on January 7th. She was very excited to hear that she won and is looking forward to designing her new bag! We asked her to tell us a little about her experiences with LILL. Here are the answers to the questions we asked her. She also sent a picture of her and some guests at her party. Many thanks to Tara and her guests for their business. We look forward to helping you design again sometime soon!

How did you first hear about 1154 LILL?

"I had heard about 1154 LILL a few years ago when when I was going to Optometry school and living in Chicago. I thought it sounded like such a fun idea, so when I got married a year and a half ago I decided to design LILL handbags for my bridesmaids."

What is the best part about hosting a party with 1154 LILL?

"The best part about hosting a party with 1154 LILL has to be the atmosphere to create with friends! The boutique is cozy and quaint with wonderful designers on hand to help out! I brought my staff here for their Christmas present this year and we all had such a great time. With purses, bags, and fabric swatches on every table and throughout the store we all truly enjoyed custom designing our very own handbags! I think 1154 LILL allows for such a fun and unique gift idea! "

What is your favorite LILL style?

"Being a new mom, my favorite bag style is Susan! I thought that was such a great idea because, not only do I have a trendy diaper bag, but eventually I will have a trendy overnight bag once I no longer need to use it for one of my children. It is large enough and has plenty of pockets for all of my baby needs! Best of all, it is one of a kind!"

What would you like to see 1154 LILL do in the future?

"Unfortunately (or fortunately), I do not have any future requests. I think you all are doing an outstanding job! Your stores and website are fantastic!"

We love hearing from our customers! It renews and inspires us to do more each day to make LILL the place to go for unique handbags and creative experiences. Happy Designing!

Jen Velarde

2010 - Off and Running!

2010-01-18T10:48:00.008-06:00

Where did the month go? Its been a month since I posted - shame on me! And, I thought 2010 would be different....

I look forward to January each year for a fresh start, for a time of reflection after the holidays and for the optimism that comes from a new year full of possibilities. Its a month of planning at LILL - we're talking new styles, new fabrics, new sales strategies. We're taking what we learned in 2009 and applying it to our plans for 2010 and beyond. We're reaching out to other businesses and our customers for ideas and inspiration. And, we're coming up with some good stuff....

I'm excited about a few new bag styles coming out the beginning of February - the LILLI, the ISABEL and the NANCY. The LILLI is a versatile tote bag that can be worn large and boxy or clipped together to make a smaller trapezoid silhouette. It has removable straps so you can interchange them with various bag bodies or clip on an accessory piece like the NANCY wallet and add another pattern to your look. The ISABEL is a mini messenger bag with an adjustable strap that can be worn long or short. It can also be combined by clipping on the NANCY wallet to create a two tiered bag. Order them up in some of our new spring fabrics like Tazo, Malibu Rays and Lagoon Faux Suede and create a stylish new look for a new year! We are loving all the possibilities with these bags and can't wait to see what our customers will do with them. These bags will be launching first in stores and through our LILL on Location Parties at the beginning of February - so be the first to see and order these by planning a home party or a trip to one of our stores in February. Expect to see these styles on-line later in February. You won't be disappointed!

I am also very excited about a focus group we conducted a week ago at our Chicago Store with a group of college students. I was extremely impressed with the ideas that were generated by talking with this group. They had several new ideas on how to reach the college market and offered us valuable insight on what is important to them, why they buy and what they are looking for in a brand. I really enjoyed listening to their thoughts and hearing first hand what they would do to create more brand awareness for 1154 LILL. I expect we will utilize many of their ideas this year. We also plan to do more focus groups with various groups of our customer base. Look for information on our facebook page and in our email communication about upcoming focus group sessions!

Lastly, I want to mention some of the current "good stuff" we have going on in January. Our January promos are wrapping up on the 31st - so you still have a couple weeks left to take advantage and pick up that bag or accessory you didn't get for the holidays now AND at a great price to boot! Here are the current deals: 10% off all month online, 15% off at all home parties, and the add it up sale in stores (buy 1, get 10% off, buy 2 - get 15% off, buy 3 - get 20% off). More info available on our website. http://www.1154lill.com/

So, we are off and running with 2010. I hope you are as well and that the year of possibilities ahead brings you everything you're planning for!

Jen Velarde

Pay it Forward - Everyone Loves a Compliment!

2009-12-17T09:35:00.007-06:00

This week I received a lovely letter from a customer in Indianapolis. Her experience with LILL began when a friend, sporting a LILL bag, told her about my business. She loved the bag and checked out our website. She found that we offered home parties in her area and contacted our Indianapolis rep, Amy, to set up a party. She had a wonderful party experience (I'll share her words later in this post) and then attended a second event Amy hosted at a local salon. She has quickly become a LILL lover. I personally love the story of how she came to find out about LILL - through a friend with a bag she loved - and, how she came to get a few of her own - through a rep who loves what she does. It speaks directly to the essence of LILL and thus I truly appreciated that this customer wrote in about her experience. Receiving letters like this really make my day.

While I obviously loved the letter, the point of my blogging about it is that it reminded me how important it is to compliment others for things that you appreciate. I often find myself pleasantly surprised by service or products and think to myself "what a great experience" or "I love this product." I don't, however, take the time to tell the person behind that experience or product how much I appreciate their help or their product. For example - just yesterday, I was going through my favorite drive thru. (Yes, I am a fast food junky)! It is my favorite drive thru, not because of the food or speed of service, but because every time I go there the staff is just really friendly and nice. Working in fast food is difficult - but this staff is always so pleasant and happy. I think about this every time I go there, but I never compliment the service. I will next time.

And, as I think about it there are several other services and products that I love and this letter has inspired me to speak up about it. I plan to shoot off a few emails to other businesses that I love and hopefully make someone else's day. My little way of paying it forward...

Here is an excerpt from the letter I am writing about:

"The primary point of writing this letter is to tell you what an amazing team member you have in Amy (our Indy rep). She was wonderful to work with and helped me set up my party for about ten of my friends. When she came to my house she was professional and fun. She was wonderful in assisting all of the girls in finding what they truly wanted. The thing I liked most about Amy, was that she was the "anti" saleswoman. Never once did she try to force a bag on someone. She consistently said she wanted all of us to love what we designed and never forced anyone into a decision or a purchase. You could also tell that she loved what she was selling. She was able to show us so many examples of items that she had designed and used on a regular basis. My LILL purse party was one of the most fun things I have done with my friends and everyone was thrilled with their purchase. All in all, I want to thank you for creating LILL. I can not tell you enough how much I love your product and your staff. Not only have you created a wonderful product, but also a fun opportunity for people to get together and do something different. I have been to jewelry parties, Pampered Chef parties, Mary Kay parties and none of them come close to comparing with the fun my friends and I have had at the LILL parties."

Jen Velarde

How do you use today's technology?

2009-12-14T12:47:00.008-06:00

I went to a holiday party this weekend where the conversation turned to how long we have been out of college and how much technology has changed how we live today. When I graduated in 1995, I had never sent an email, the internet was no where on my radar screen and all of my training for work in the world of interior design had been done with pencil in hand vs. on a CAD system. We have been talking about this at LILL lately as well and while I have since emersed myself into technology and it runs most of our operations today - I didn't "grow up" with it like those 10-15 years or so younger than me.

Technology for me is something I have to think about versus something that is ingrained in my daily routine. I have dabbled in blogging, lightly use facebook and have yet to personally twitter. I keep my blackberry close at hand most of the time, primarily for email. I just started to understand the purpose of texting - and actually really like it. All this is great, but it is December, 2009. And, so, you might say I am pretty far behind the times in terms of keeping pace with some of my more technologically savvy customers. I feel the technology gap each time we discuss ways to reach this portion of our demographic. With all of the options that social media provides it can be a bit overwhelming to decipher which methods are the best tools to stay in touch. I find myself probing anyone who seems "totally connected" for their ideas and what they are doing now to communicate to friends, find out about events, promotions and products etc.

One idea we recently tried that was successful for us was working with Groupon - a collective buying program - where we adverstised a special purchase opportunity to their mailing list. It generated a huge amount of buzz for us in the first two markets we tried - Chicago and KC. Since we participated, I am on the daily deal email list and it is one of my new favorite ways to find out about different businesses and specials around my city. (We are the deal of the day in the Boston market tomorrow - 12/15 - so if you missed an opportunity to get in on the deal earlier, you can join in the Boston deal as coupons are valid at any of our stores www.groupon.com/boston )

That is one example of a great new tool - there are many more out there that I am looking to learn about. So I am asking - where do you go to find out about new concepts, cool experiences, great sales, etc? Send me your ideas. Leave your comments here - for each one I get, I'll put your name in a drawing for one of my favorite bags of the season - Grace in Chateau de Lill.

Or - come tell us your thoughts in person - if you are currently attending a large midwestern university and will be in Chicago over the holidays, we will be hosting a focus group on Thursday, Jan 7th from 1pm to 4pm at our Chicago boutique at 904 W. Armitage in Lincoln Park. If you are interested in participating, please complete this questionnaire below no later than Wednesday, Dec 16th. https://app.e2ma.net/app2/survey/27318/16426/0f8892001a/

(If you are selected, you will be notified by Monday, Dec. 21st. Focus group participants will receive an 1154 LILL Design a Bag Kit in return for their participation in the focus group session).

Jen Velarde

Busy Holiday Season!

2009-12-03T09:18:00.006-06:00

Is your calendar filling up this holiday season? Today alone we have 4 events going on at LILL. Two here in Chicago - we'll be at the Orland Park Country Club this afternoon and the Allerton Hotel tonight for NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owner's) for their holiday shopping parties. In our Boston and Kansas City Stores, we are hosting in-store holiday parties as well. Our custom order deadline is this Sunday so there are also parties going on all over the country with our LILL on Location Reps today and through the weekend.

It is our busiest time of the year - and one of our favorite times. We get to see and work with so many customers as they cross off their gift lists with thoughtful and creative orders. You see firsthand the spirit of the season. The act of choosing that perfect gift for someone special and the satisfaction that appears on a customer's face or in their voice when they find it. We love helping customers get there and look forward to the busy weeks ahead where we will do this more than any other time during the year. We only wish we could be there when the gifts are given!

I'll be at the NAWBO event tonight where I hope to help some existing customers as well as introduce our products to a new audience. Looking forward to it!

Jen Velarde

Setting the Table

2009-11-25T12:39:00.007-06:00

Thanksgiving is upon us! I think for most that means they are busy making preparations for the big meal. It means trips to the grocery store. I've been 3 times since Saturday - seems we keep remembering one more item we need... and of course find many more that just "look so good" we have to buy. It never fails that we prepare food to feed an army, however are expecting less than 10 at our house tomorrow.

While I'm a good shopper, I'm not very skilled in the kitchen, so my job is always prepping the house and setting the table. I love this. I love using all the table linens and dishes and glasses and silverware that for most of the year are simply on display. I typically don't figure out what I'm doing to set the table until the day of. I find it exciting to pull out what I have and combine it in new ways. I love pulling things from other rooms and finding a way to creatively use these items as part of the centerpiece. I get so much satisfaction out of "pulling it off" with things around the house. And, while others at the table are oohing and awhing about how wonderful the food is, I am so much more about how all the food looks as it adorns my pulled together table.

As it stands today, I don't have exact plans for my table yet, but plan to spend a little time surfing for ideas tonight as I pull out all the "possible" items I have to include in this year's table settings. It is sure to be a highlight of my day. Here are some links to some sites I will use for inspiration:

http://www.hgtv.com/thanksgiving-ideas/package/index.html

http://www.pixcetera.com/home/thanksgiving-table-settings/40128

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/thanksgiving-table-settings

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jen Velarde

2009-11-18T09:56:00.003-06:00

Our 1st Holiday Market this past Saturday was a success! We invited 20 local Chicago designers to sell their wares with us at our Headquarter's location. The event space looked great and the local designers are so talented- check out the list of vendors and their websites - www.1154lill.com/holidaymarket

I took care of several gifts - which I'll keep under wraps till they are given, but also picked up a couple things for myself and my kids. I couldn't resist the adorable spaceship hat and chocolate brown onsie with striped tie applique for Grey from "Sam and Coop." For Hadley, I got the cutest apron from "So Silly" - its plastic coated oil cloth makes it perfect for her to wear as she "helps" with the dishes. And, after seeing several people try on this perfectly styled red and orange sweater from "Orangyporangy," I succumbed and bought one for myself. Its my new go to weekend wear! A big thank you to all who participated and attended. What a fun day!

Speaking of holiday events, our Chicago boutique is hosting our annual Holiday Cheer event on Thursday, November 19th from 6pm-8pm at 904 W. Armitage Ave. We're offering amazing discounts to our LILL fans- 15% off all handbags and 25% off accessories, event night only. If you want to get some holiday shopping done, rsvp for the event www.1154lill.com/holidaycheer

Hope you can join us to kick off your holidays!

-Jen Velarde

What's better than a Gift Certificate?

2009-11-17T12:47:00.005-06:00

Our customers often want to share their love of LILL with a friend or family member and choose a gift certificate as a way to give the experience of creating a LILL product to someone special. We see many happy faces coming into the stores or to parties excited to get started creating courtesy of their newly received gift certificate. And while these are always a nice gift, this year we wanted to expound on the gifting possibilities and offer something extra special.

So, what could be better than a gift certificate? How about the whole design experience in a box? How about we offer a way for customers to receive a gift they can get to work on immediately? What we came up with was a "Design a Bag Kit."

How does it work? Send your friend, family member or significant other to LILL via the web, party or store. They select a style they think is perfect for you and order a Design a Bag Kit for that style. Next, we package a sample bag of the chosen style, a set of fabric swatches, step by step design instructions and an order form and send it off to you. You happily receive the adorablely packaged kit and get to work picking fabrics for your new LILL. Invite a friend over and mix and match fabrics together or make your selections on your own - either way you get to create in the comfort of home. When you've found the perfect combination, you simply fill out the order form, pack up the sample bag and fabric swatches and send it all back to us with the pre-paid shipping label. In approximately 3 weeks time, your personally designed bag is sent back to you and you are off to show all your friends and family your newest creation!

Its really a great idea for the holidays and all of those special occasions through out the year. Its a gift that offers the ultimate in creativity right away - no waiting to visit the store, find time online or set up a party. And nothing beats the try on, tactile experience that the sample bag and swatch set provides. Check out our website for more details and be sure to tell all your friends and family that LILL's new Design a Bag Kit is on your wish list this holiday season!

https://www.1154lill.com/designabagkit/shop.asp

Happy Shopping!
Jen Velarde

Designing with Jillian Harris

2009-10-30T10:49:00.007-05:00

Jillian Harris of The Bachelorette fame visited our Chicago Store last night with several girlfriends. She recently relocated to Chicago to be with her fiance, Ed Swiderski, and has been finding her way around the city. She was introduced to 1154 LILL by a friend and was excited to come in and try her hand at designing.

She was a natural! With her innate sense of style and interior design background, she quickly chose three styles to design. She then selected classic textiles for the exteriors of each of the 3 bags so she could "wear them as much as possible." She chose bolder prints - our fresh green and white Southern Charm pattern for her Hadley interior and our graphic black and white Moroccan Tiles for her Erinn interior. She kept her Carolina wallet smart and classic by combining our Black Ink Linen and Charcoal woven grid - the perfect every day wallet to compliment any bag she carries.

Her girlfriends jumped in and designed as well - each one helping the other find something that suited them. After a couple hours of laughter and designing, they left the store and headed to dinner... They'll be back in a few weeks to pick up their bags were all too excited to start carrying them!

They were a really sweet group of friends. As they left, I thought about my own group of girlfriends and how nice it is to get together, have a little wine, a little design and a little dinner. Laughter inevitably fills the space and you relax into your best self every time. I'm looking forward to some good girlfriend time myself this fall..... right after trick or treating tomorrow!

-Jen Velarde

Happy 5th Anniversary to our Rep, Shelley P!

2009-10-24T08:21:00.004-05:00

As you may know, LILL celebrated its 10th Anniversary this August (my how time does fly!). And while we were busy turning 10 this year, our LILL on Location Party Rep program turned 5! One of our Minneapolis reps has been with us from the very beginning and all of us at LILL want to wish a happy 5th anniversary to Shelley P.!

Shelley has been celebrating all month long with special prices on her Fave 5 Bags and lots of great LILL parties. This weekend she's having her official celebration party and since we can't all get there, we wanted you to have the chance to get to know Shelley a little bit. So we asked her a few questions...

Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in the Western Suburbs of Minneapolis, MN where I have made now my home with my own family. However, I spent 4 years (ok, 4 ½) at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Where did you meet Jen (our founder & president) and Robin (LILL's vice-president)?
Robin lived on my floor my freshman year at Drake. We rushed together and both pledged Delta Gamma which is where we met Jen. We have been friends for a very long time!

What do you love most about working for LILL?
It has been so cool to watch LILL grow from its most humble beginnings in Jen’s studio apartment in Lincoln Park to the successful company it is today. It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to share my own personal account of the company’s history. I am so proud of my friends and the work they have done. And, in my role, I get to have all the fun. To introduce women to this company and the fabulous handbags is such a thrill! And I have loved meeting such great people at these events. I have forged friendships with a handful of my hostesses whom have now become some of my best friends.

How have the parties changed since you started working with LILL?
If you can believe it, when I first started, I had to take the orders by hand and FAX them to LILL headquarters. The other major distinction is that the brand awareness and general familiarity with LILL has grown exponentially. This is not a typical sales job, I am merely a facilitator. The bags sell themselves and the process is so interactive and engaging people look forward to doing it again and again.

What about family?
I have been married for 7 years and we have two wonderful kids, Jenna Grace (age 5 ½) and George (age 3). I was so flattered when Jen chose to name the Grace bag for my Jenna Grace. No George bag yet... but that's probably OK!

What are your three favorite fabrics right now?
Not sure I can just pick three, but I'll try. Ooh La La... Lime Leaves... and any animal prints (Kalahari Leopard, Wild Zebra, Lemon Zebra, Snow Leopard)

Do you have a nickname?
In college I was called Link. Its origins are not all that interesting but the name does come out every once in a while now among our friends.

Favorite musician, band or music genre:
It seems like right now we are so kid-focused all we listen to is Kidz Bop and Disney princess soundtracks. But music really isn’t my thing. I don’t even own an iPod (but my 5 year old has one…go figure).

Where did you last go on vacation?
To Chicago to visit my best friends and their kids!

Thanks Shelley for all your help spreading the word about LILL and helping to get our LILL on Location program going. You have been a fantastic assest - AND a great friend - to the LILL Studio! Happy 5th Anniversary!

My Little Fashionista

2009-10-20T14:40:00.012-05:00

So as the weather turned colder here in Chicago, I was inspired to create a new bag for fall. I have been hooked on the Hadley bag - which is named after my daughter - for a while now. When picking my fabrics, I chose a black strap with a brown accent stripe so I could wear it with either my go to brown boots and cap or my favorite black coat. I chose Cosmo Tweed for the body - a blend of berry tones and black/brown flecks for a pop of color that also works well with my fall staples. It's such a great carry-all, for both my things and the variety of things I'm "holding" for the kids. (My favorite kid item in my bag today is the comic section of the newspaper. My 5 year old was fascinated when he saw this at my parents house and wanted to save it to hang up in his room.... a sign of the times that he rarely sees a printed version of the newspaper at our house).

I got my bag on Friday and as I started to load it up for my first carry, my daughter Hadley, in her two year old speak said "ohh mommy, soo pretty!" She has taken to commenting on my bags and shoes almost daily - a little fashionista in training. I'm often taken off guard by this as most of her activities involve cars and balls, following after her brother. So I am rather pleased to hear her commenting on fashion and in fact, styling herself. It must be an inately female trait as she is very opinionated about which accessories should be worn with what outfits. I've attached a picture of her in a self-styled outfit. I'm still trying to explain to her that jeans under dresses is a trend that was only popular before she was born and that 2 dresses are not better than one.... her response - an eye roll and an "Oh, mommy..." And thus the next generation of mother /daughter fashion debate begins....

Jen Velarde

Fun Finds for our Holiday Market!

2009-10-15T15:16:00.009-05:00

In a meeting earlier this year we started talking about how many creative local designers we were happening upon. It occured to us that it would be fun to invite similiarly minded creatives to get together for a holiday market and provide a venue for all of our customers to shop for unique holiday gifts. So this fall we sent out applications for our first annual LILL Holiday Market that will be held at our Chicago warehouse on Saturday, November 14th.

We are thrilled with the collection of applications that came in. They are brimming with beautiful products and business concepts.... it was fun to review, but also tough to decide! We only have room for 20. We met yesterday and made some decisions. Here are some pics of products from companies we invited. We'll post the full list of vendors on our website as soon as everyone is confirmed. Mark your calendars now and get your whole list taken care of in one day!

Pics from:

www.orangyporangy.com

www.circlestreet.etsy.com

www.uncharted.etsy.com

Jen Velarde

Boutique Parties!

2009-10-12T12:45:00.011-05:00

We recently particpated in an event called the Indie Collection at Oakbrook Center here in Chicago. It was a really fun event for us as we saw so many of our suburban customers, made some new connections and were joined by several other local designers. I personally loved getting to see other designer lines amongst the traditional retailers at Oakbrook. I bought a dress from a new designer, whom I loved - Kate Boggiano, http://www.kateboggiano.com/ Some of her work was also just featured in In Style. I love her unique twist on classic such as button downs and shirt dresses. Check out the collar on the picture attached.

I know I'm not the only one who loves to shop at these kind of events. And, lately we've had an influx of opportunities to showcase our line at area boutiques. We're excited to bring 1154 LILL to customers while shopping at some of their favorite boutiques.

Here are some upcoming dates -We'll be at Holly G Boutique in Baltimore on 10/17, Urban Belly in Des Moines on 10/20, Avant Garden in Milwaukee on 10/22, Splendor in Milwaukee on 10/31 and Poeme in Cincinnati on 11/5. Check out the line and get some of your holiday shopping done - custom ordering available at all events! No appointment necessary.

You can find more info about all of these events on our facebook page or on our calendar of events page:

http://www.facebook.com/1154LillStudio
http://www.1154lill.com/events/default.asp#ongoing

We'd love to bring our line to one of your favorite boutiques as well. If you have suggestions, we're all ears! You can email your ideas to locallill@1154lill.com

Hope to see you at a boutique near you soon!
Best,
Jen Velarde

Emily's Pick of the Week~ How About Orange

2009-10-09T15:01:00.004-05:00

Hello LILL fans! Happy Friday! Today I'd like to feature a super cool blog called How About Orange. How About Orange is a blog written by graphic designer, Jessica Jones. How About Orange features a wide variety of posts related to art, design, DIY projects, and much more. Jessica features things on her blog that she truly loves. I have had so much fun reading this blog! I love that she updates the blog nearly everyday. Jessica even runs her own etsy shop! I recently added How About Orange to the list of blogs that I read everyday. You should check out How About Orange today! How About Orange has teamed up with 1154 LILL Studio for a free giveaway. Go to How About Orange and scroll down to the entry written on October 6, 2009. Check out the post and leave a comment by 12 midnight CST tonight (10/9/09) for your chance to win a free NIKKI bag with G is for Giraffe fabric.
I hope you enjoy reading the new posts and looking through the archives at How About Orange. Scroll down to the entry written on September 28, 2009, entitled Hey, Matt. What's Up. Too funny!
Have a great weekend! Emily R.

Emily's Pick of the Week

2009-10-01T13:32:00.003-05:00

Meet our newest style, SANDRA! SANDRA is a great everyday handbag with four pockets on the exterior and the interior. There is also a clip on the inside for your key ring. Our customer, Sandra N. designed her own unique SANDRA bag today. SANDRA is 10% off on our website for the entire month of October.

Sandra N. chose Central Park Tweed for the exterior and English Ivy for the exterior top and strap. She chose Black Poplin for the interior of her bag.

Check out SANDRA! You will receive a 10% discount on your custom or ready made SANDRA throughout the month of October!

Emily R.

Shelley's Fave Five!

2009-09-29T14:49:00.025-05:00

To celebrate her five years with LILL on Location, Shelley, our Minneapolis – Western Suburbs Rep is offering a special 20% discount to any of her Minneapolis customers who order any one of her five favorite bags. We asked her to tell us what it is she likes so much about the five she picked. Check out her answers below...

HADLEY – The slouchier the better! HADLEY can carry an enormous amount of necessities and keep me looking chic at the same time. Now that both my children are a little older, I've been able to replace the diaper bag with a HADLEY. This keeps me looking super stylish at preschool drop-off! I stash all my smaller accessory bags in there, too (ANNE , LIZ, AUDREY/JANE, JACK).

AUDREY/JANE – As a wife and mom I have found that there is very little that I can claim totally as my own. Among other things, I am constantly sharing the extra room in my larger handbags (even for my hubby’s wallet & sunglasses!). So there is something very satisfying about carrying an AUDREY stuffed solely with my stuff. I clip a JANE wrist strap to it and can step out with just what I need… and without schlepping everyone else’s gear!

GRACE – Aside from the pure elegance of this on-the-town clutch, I adore this handbag’s name! My dear friends Jen and Robin chose the name for this style after my daughter, Jenna Grace (she's the cutie in the picture with me up at the top). While most think of this as an evening bag, I have had customers who have opted not to have the ruffle accent and then chose a casual, bright patterned fabric paired with an unexpected interior fabric. I love when my customers can truly make a bag style their own.

ANDI – For most of LILL, ANDI is just thought of as a great bag and a constant top seller. For me, it’s both of those things and a sentimental favorite. I received my first ANDI from a friend at a time when I needed a little pick-me-up. She designed it for me in wonderful happy colors - bright turquoise with lime green and orange accents. It is such fun a fun bag and it meant a lot to know she had designed just for me! Goes to show that retail therapy can be good for the soul – especially when combined with a true friend!

SANDRA – My “NEW” Favorite! I know from my customers that zippers, pockets and key clips are in demand! And when you take a look at SANDRA’s features you can tell LILL listens to what its customers want. Just another reason I am proud to work with such an amazing company. Check out SANDRA when it debuts on Oct 1!

Emily's Pick of the Week

2009-09-04T08:51:00.013-05:00

Happy Friday Everyone! It looks like we're in for a beautiful weekend. Get out and enjoy the last weekend of summer! This week I thought I'd focus on some of the gorgeous fall fabrics that we have in our fabric palette. Now that fall is just around the corner, I am looking to design a new fall bag. Here are my favorite fall fabrics:

From left to right: Wiggle Worm, Matchmaker, Sea of Tranquility, Fall Fields, Pop Rocks

I am thinking about designing a new AUDREY JANE bag. I can put my essentials in my AUDREY JANE and then pop it into my SUSAN diaper bag. I am going to put the funky Wiggle Worm on the AUDREY and Pop Rocks on the JANE.

We have a lot of beautiful fall fabrics on our fabric palette right now. Check them out! I hope everyone has a great weekend! See you here next Friday. Emily R.

Emily's Pick of the Week

2009-08-28T12:40:00.005-05:00

Hello LILL Fans! I am so excited to be back on the blog! I was out of the office this summer on maternity leave. I designed a custom SUSAN a few months ago, and I have been using it all summer. I absolutely love it! I especially love all of the pockets. The side pockets on the exterior of the bag are great, as well as the interior pockets which help me stay organized. Also, SUSAN fits perfectly over the handle of my stroller. Since I love my SUSAN, I'd like to spotlight SUSAN this week.

Ryan W. from Ithaca, NY recently designed a custom SUSAN bag. Ryan chose the whimsical Yellow Stone for the exterior base and pocket, Aruba for the top, and Charcoal for the trim and strap. This is such a fun combination!

If you've been thinking about designing a LILL bag, now is a great time to take the plunge. This month LILL is celebrating our 10 year anniversary! As a thank you to you, our loyal customers, we are offering 10% off of your bag purchase on our website, at a LILL On Location party or in our boutiques. This special anniversary discount lasts until August 31st on our website and in our boutiques and until September 7th at LILL On Location parties . Have a great weekend! Emily R.

Widget

2009-08-26T11:26:00.001-05:00

10 Years of LILL!

2009-08-04T10:00:00.003-05:00

We can't believe 10 years have flown by! We feel so fortunate to have collaborated with so many amazing customers, team members and friends to help build the 1154 LILL Studio of today. Thank you for your support, for your business and your friendship - it means the world to us.

To celebrate 10 years - this month we are offering 10% off EVERYTHING - and 20% off at all parties! Visit our website for all the details and to start designing online! http://www.1154lill.com/

Owner Jennifer Velarde penned 10 thoughts on the 10 years of LILL - take a look:

1. Glee - That is the best word to describe the feeling I had when I sewed the first sample bag in my tiny studio apartment. Something inside leapt for joy. When I get that feeling about a new style or fabric to this day, I know it is going to be a good one.

2. Our first sale at the street fair and our first handbag party at a customer's home were thrilling. As was our first sale at the original Chicago Store location. I still see Ann, whom I met at the street fair and hosted our first party. She became my insurance agent and a good friend. I also run into Michelle, our first Chicago Store customer, from time to time around the city and we talk about that "Ally" bag she created and still has.

3. Painting - who knew there would be so much. From bookshelves, to floors, to bathrooms and of course walls. I've spent a fair share of time, especially in the early years, with a paint brush in hand. There is nothing like a can of paint to transform a space or create a bond.
4. LILL bags everywhere. One of the best thing about this business is seeing your work on the arm of someone miles away from Chicago. I've seen them everywhere. It always makes me smile and it never gets old.

5. In the early years, I spent a lot of time in my car driving to contractors and hunting for fabric. I came to love talk radio - especially the Kathy and Judy Show on WGN. What a thrill when I was driving a long and actually heard them bring up and discuss my business one day. We've been blessed with some amazing press through the years, but this one was pretty memorable for me.

6. Life moments. When you are in business for 10 years, you and your team go through so many life moments together. We've had weddings and funerals and births. Together our team has shared a lot and created friendships that will last a lifetime. This is one of our best accomplishments.

7. Warehouse sale. We had our first one last fall on my birthday. I didn't know quite what to expect. The sale started at 9 and we had customers lining up in the rain at 7 am. The sale was packed with ecstatic customers who sorted through piles of bags. I met so many loyal LILL customers who shared their experiences with LILL through the years. Glee, again...I was overwhelmed. It was by far, my favorite birthday.

8. Proud parents. When I announced I'd be quitting my job and starting a handbag business, my parents were not exactly thrilled. At each milestone we've reached, I see at least one of my parents pause, shake their head, and beam with pride. It's a pretty cool feeling.

9. New businesses and adventures. As an entrepreneurial company, you attract entrepreneurial team members. Many of our staff started with us right out of college. 4-5 years later, I'll get message from one of them asking to chat. I know before we meet that they are coming to me to tell me that they'll be leaving. I'm never sad about this. In fact, I am proud - because they are setting off to so something they've been inspired to create or to do because of their time at LILL. Former staff have launched a few new businesses and set off on some amazing adventures. Like my own parents, I couldn't be prouder.

10. Reaching 10. At that first street fair, I couldn't have imagined I was setting off towards 10 years. 10 years later, I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without LILL. Thank you to you, our loyal customers for making it all possible. I look forward to the next 10!

July's Team Member of the Month!

2009-07-21T15:00:00.011-05:00

And the much deserved honor goes to the lovely Sandra N.!

Sandra is always wiling to help with the cutting machine and always there to answer questions. She is a great problem solver and team leader and has valuable ideas on how to improve efficiency. She has great knowledge about LILL from past to present. All this and she is fun, friendly and great to talk to as well! Sandra is known for her ability to take on many roles at LILL and you can usually find her working in our cutting, quality assurance, or shipping departments... sometimes all at the same time! Thanks for everything Sandra!

Let's get to know the woman of hour...

Where are you originally from? The Chi

How long have you been with LILL? I started as a seasonal worker when I was 18 in the winter of 05. Then I left and came back as a seasonal worker (I think in the spring or summer of 06) and that turned into a part time job. After about less than a yr of that I decided to become full-time.

Favorite LILL style? I like the sophie, and smaller items like connor and jane. Big bags get in my way.

Top 2 fabric picks: Right now I like Tucan Leaves and Charcoal.

What do you love most about working for LILL? Working with my family, and the ppl Ive gotten to know well.

Do you have a nickname? A couple, they're in Spanish though.

Favorite musician, band or music genre: I enjoy latin music the most.

Where did you last go on vacation? Wisconsin…..I went camping, and I came back home with an ugly bloodshot spot on my neck (idk what bit me).

Anything else fun you’d like to share? I love to dance, work out, and I'm studying to be a chemist (hopefully a rockin' one because I'm smart).

Another fun fact about Sandra is that she's a very gifted artist (as shown below with one of her paintings on canvas).

In awhile, crocodile...

2009-07-08T15:31:00.003-05:00

Hi LILL Fans!

We will be taking a little break from updating our blog while our two main resident bloggers are out on maternity leave. Both had baby boys - both named them Charlie - and no, they hadn't shared names with each other before hand. :) So fun. We are so happy and excited for them both!

We're getting our act together to get some new posts up in their absence - but in the meantime, please become a "Fan" of our Facebook page for lots of great updates, contests and special deals.

In addition, our design team is tweeting away - so please follow them on twitter.

Talk to you soon!

CHRISTIE

2009-06-29T11:14:00.006-05:00

My bathroom usually looks like a tornado hit it. From the face powder scattered all over the sink to the eyeshadow packets strewed across the counter, my beauty regime tends to leave a mess behind. In honor of moving into a new home with my husband, I decided it was time to stop living like a messy teenager and start organizing my beauty supplies.

In order to do so, I created my very own customized CHRISTIE, a deluxe makeup bag which fits perfectly on my counter and holds all my beauty goodies. For the exterior and handle of the bag I opted for Apple Spice Tea, and for the exterior top and base I chose Kalahari Leopard. Animal prints and bright colors are huge right now and I feel like I am tapping into my inner Jungle Goddess every time I use my makeup in the morning!

Of course, with all of my addiction to beauty products, just one bag won’t do, so I created a couple more CHRISTIES that could store other essentials. I created another with an exterior and handle of Key Lime Twill, and I chose Southern Charm for the exterior top and base. Then, I created another with even more bright colors, this time choosing Strawberry Daiquiri for the exterior handle, and Mellow Yellow for the exterior top and base.