Cara Landy is blonde, Jewish and very successful. Growing up in West Hartford, CT, she started making bags by hand and selling them to one of the local stores. She now has two businesses: her own line of bags, and Showroom Sababa that she shares with Ayla Cohen.

The co-owners of this airy showroom in New York’s Garment District met on the Young Judea trip to Israel in 1998, and then both went to University of Rhode Island. After college Cara started her company right away, and now her bags have been featured in magazines like InStyle and Marie Claire.

Shebrew’s Anna Berezina stopped by Showroom Sababa to chat with Cara (and check out the bags).

AB What do you think is the main lesson you’ve learned so far?

CL Plenty of people will tell you that you’re crazy, and that fashion industry is tough, but if your heart is set on it, you’ll do it.

AB You mentioned that you grew up very involved Jewishly. How does being Jewish affect your life (and work) now?

CL Once I took summer classes at Fashion Institute of Technology and one of my professors told me: “If you go to buy leather, make sure you wear a Jewish star – all suppliers are Jewish. Being Jewish can get you far in this industry”. I was surprised at frist, but it’s totally true! Working with my suppliers now, I feel like I need to brush my my Hebrew. I keep a kosher home, I’m interested in my roots – Russian and Eastern European.

AB What’s been the hardest for you?

CL Definitely work/ life balance. Last year I was working too much, all the time, with Sababa opening and all. Now I’ve learned that you have to give yourself weekends. It’s very hard to get your mind off work, now I just say “Business is great!” instead of going into details.
I also miss making the bags myself. I closely supervise the production – it’s right here in the Garment District.

AB Do you have a favorite bag?

CL Yes! It’s the Gertie bag. All of my bags have names, and this one is named after this doll my friend and I used to play with when we were little. Gertie was great, and I think I’ve done really well with the bag, too.

AB Where do you get inspiration for your collection?

CL I don’t really follow trends, I like to start with the practical. Bags have to be useful first, then fashionable.

AB Where do you like to shop?

CL Anthropology for clothes, Versace for shoes, but I could also live in Minnetonka moccasins!

AB What is your favorite trend this spring/ summer?

CL Big sunglasses and everything Bohemian.

AB What advice would you give Shebrew readers on how to buy a fantastic bag?

CL Go for brown, it matches most outfits. Be sure to check for quality zippers – you don’t want them for fall apart in a month. Lots of pockets make it easier to organize. Hardware goes in and out of fashion, so go for something basic.

AB You’ve come a very long way in the last couple of years. What is your next step?

CL My personal goal is to keep from drowning in business. I want to build on what I have. I’m very content with everything in my life right now, my business, my friends, my boyfriend, everything.

Check out Cara’s bags at www.caralandy.com