Vera Bradley Co-Founder Ventures into Men's Accessories with New Brand 'Baekgaard USA'
*By Madison Alworth*
Barbara Bradley Baekgaard changed the face of women's bags with her iconic line of quilted accessories, Vera Bradley ー and now, she's hoping to stage a similar style revolution in menswear with a new brand.
"Now it's time for something for our men," Baekgaard said Monday in an interview on Cheddar. "Because Vera Bradley did not ever intend, nor do we intend, to do products for men."
Baekgaard's new menswear brand, Baekgaard USA, was named for her late husband, a Dane who started importing goods in 1954 from his home country.
After her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the pair decided to put his company on hold and focus on publicly traded Vera Bradley ($VRA). Now Baekgaard has stepped back from her roles as co-president and chief creative officer and only serves on the Board of Directors, freeing her up for the new venture.
For inspiration, Baekgaard turns to the men in her life to test new products and ideas.
"I use my family as a focus-study, so I ask my grandsons."
But ultimately, she relies on her own instincts. "I also ask myself when I design something, 'Who would I give this to? Who do I want carrying this.' And I want to design something for everyone. And I think we nailed it."
Primarily, she "was tired of looking for something to buy for men."
"I think men are more fashionable now. This is just a perfect time," she added.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/co-founder-of-vera-bradley-on-her-new-brand-and-what-it-takes-to-make-a-successful-fashion-company).
President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have discussed Taiwan, artificial intelligence and security issues in a call meant to demonstrate a return to regular leader-to-leader dialogue between the two powers.
April is Earth month, and while the green revolution might feel far away, the founder of climate VC Siam Capital says it’s on it’s way, and, even better: it won't cost you more.
From snow in April to heatwaves in December, it’s hard to plan a trip in a climate change world. Startup Sensible Weather thinks weather-based travel reimbursements are the solution.
Between corporate debt and the widening gap between ‘the haves and the have nots,’ there are reasons to be cautious about the economy, even with interest rate cuts on their way.
If the A.I. hype hasn’t given you enough of a reason to be excited (and a little terrified), the CEO of Zapata AI says the next frontier is designing bridges or creating pharmaceutical drugs.
Stocks are near record highs, inflation is moderating, and analyst Deiya Pernas is 'optimistic' the U.S. is heading for a soft landing without a recession – which is good news for your wallet.
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin loved pulling pranks, so much so they began rolling outlandish ideas every April Fools' Day not long after starting their company more than a quarter century ago.
