Ok so the package filled with samples was sent off to Vietnam four weeks ago, and they JUST got it four days ago. I was relieved. When it hit the three week mark, I got really worried, but I tried to stay positive, and tried not to think of all the nasty things that could've happened to it. But I had to wake up at some point and face reality, so the day before I got the good news, I actually made myself start preparing a second sample package. But never mind! The package got there in one piece and we are back on track! Yay!

Posted by Fumi Bull at 12:46 AM | Comments (0)

When it comes to internet shopping, pictures of the product becomes one of the most important selling point. No matter how nice the product is, if customers can't see it, they will not buy it. This is why I decided to make a light tent, which according to the instructions, should produce professional looking photographs with a perfect white back drop.

The materials needed were just regular day to day stuff like a cardboard box and glue and what not, so it was super easy to get together, and it took my sister and I just one afternoon to put together with the help (distraction) of her 2 year old son! :)

Here is the light tent and a test picture taken by using it! I still need to play around with better lighting, but I think it turned out pretty well!

Posted by Fumi Bull at 12:20 AM | Comments (0)

"Davie & Chiyo", what do you think it means? Where do you think it came from?

I don't think you will have the slightest clue unless, well, if you are a part of my family, then it should pretty much be self explanatory!

It comes from my father, David, and my mother, Michiyo.

Awwwwww. Isn't that so cute???

Ok, but there is more logical meaning to the name than it just being cute. My sister and I thought about it for a long time. Because it is a 'sisters' project, we felt that we wanted to associate the name to something that connected both of us. Straight away, we thought of our parents, but in more way than them being our parents; we though about their nationality as well. David is a western name, and Michiyo is a Japanese name. This project is two half girls, making products influenced by the two cultures (the basic shape and the clasp is a traditional Japanese style, while the fabrics used has western influences). So then how perfect is it to use an English name and a Japanese name as the brand name for the purses?

We really didn't want to call it "David & Michiyo" since it was _too_ obvious and too much of a bold statement, so we just made it shorter and sweeter!

Now the logo, "face of a bull" should need no explanation! It comes from the coolest last name in the world that I was fortunate enough to have, BULL!

Posted by Fumi Bull at 1:19 AM | Comments (1)

I think it's time I explained myself a little bit, about what 'Davie & Chiyo' is, and how I got involved in it.

Making purses was honestly not my long time childhood dream, in fact if someone were to tell me that this is what I'll be involved in, I would've just rolled my eyes. it was something that I kind of fell into it out of no where, yet now, just about three months later, it has completely taken over my life...

This is how it all started. It was back in July when I was just fooling around on the computer as usual, trying to look for jobs while window shopping at online stores... when something caught my eye. I was browsing through my sister Himi's Etsy shop (a place to sell and buy everything handmade), when a recent item that she had put up caught my attention. It was a little clutch bag with a traditional clasp opening. Something about it struck my interest and I knew there was a business opportunity staring right at my face.

Thinking and planning happened pretty fast after this, and everyday, I got more and more involved in this project. In August, I made a trip over to Vietnam to find a manufacture for the purses. Now that was quite an adventure and I have a whole another story written about that trip which will get posted somewhere on this website soon.

Now sample testing was a very long process. Himi and I played with the shapes and fabrics for the clutches forever, until we produced something that we felt was up to our standards. But weird thing about making your own products is that you are never 100% satisfied. Even if it looks perfect from the eyes of others, you always look at it and see how much more it could still be improved. That's the most frustrating thing of it all, but at some point, you have to say 'it is good enough', otherwise, you will be sample testing forever and will never get to a finished product. Another frustrating thing is that because my mind never stops coming up with new ideas and finding new things, I always keep wanting to add new lines and styles, meanwhile, the first batch of styles haven't even hit production! I am _way_ ahead of myself everyday, that I find myself constantly having to pull myself back to reality.

Posted by Fumi Bull at 12:44 AM | Comments (0)