ABOUT KATHY

Kathy Van Zeeland was founded in 2004 in response to an inner desire to create the highest quality and trend-right handbags for women at accessible prices. Its origin stems from pure passion.

As a child, Kathy, who loved to imitate her mother’s elegance dressing up with little accessories that she had made herself, realized very early on that this love which started out as a game and a hobby would become her full-time job and her life in the future.

Kathy is no newcomer to the fashion business. After finishing college, she took her first steps in the world of fashion as a buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. After a few years, the opportunity she had been waiting for came along and she began designing accessories for new labels, among them, Nine West, Enzo Angiolini and Easy Spirit. Together with her husband Bruce Makowsky, then president of the company, built those labels to a sales peak in excess of $ 200 million dollars.

Kathy is committed to designing fresh product each season with the best materials and hardware and has succeeded in achieving the right balance between fashion, practicality and function at an affordable price for her customers. She wants women to receive compliments and feel fashionable while wearing her handbags. Her incredible eye for detail and unmistakable style has made the Kathy Van Zeeland line one of the most successful brands in the world today.  

She has already expanded from must-have handbags to must-be-noticed watches, jewellery and clothing. She also has taken her love for detailed styling to create a fabulous shoe collection launching in spring 2010 to stores worldwide.

Kathy, who is co-president of her company, is now in more than 1,700 stores in North America, 1300 in the USA. and 400 in Canada and available in stores around the globe – Australia, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Middle East, New Zeeland, Singapore, South Africa, South America, United Kingdom. In the short span of 4 years the Kathy Van Zeeland brand has achieved global recognition and sales in excess of $ 300 million.

In May of 2008, Kathy was awarded the prestigious honour of being voted the American Fashion Accessories Association “DESIGNER of THE YEAR”.

Kathy believes a large part of her success is due to her continuous commitment to connect with her customers. "I want to build a relationship with my customers. They know who I am and I know who they are.  I get so many e-mails from women who love what they've bought. They even send me pictures of how they incorporate my pieces into their wardrobe.”

Thank you for choosing Kathy Van Zeeland!