Who is vera bradley

It looks like your browser is out of date or not supported. For increased security, speed, and a better experience, please update or switch your browser. Learn More Dismiss. Close drawer My Cart 0. Store Locator. Customer Service. Order Status Lookup. Contact Us. Sign In. These days, the Vera Bradley brand is a very recognizable name.

Known for their trademark bright and colorful quilted handbag designs, the brand has successfully become an empire unto itself, and has spawned a thousand knockoffs along the way.

But who is Vera Bradley? You'll be pleased to know that unlike many well-known brands out there, Vera Bradley was in fact an actual person.

The Vera Bradley Company is named after the mother of one of the co-founders of the company, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard. The company started quite literally as a conversation. Back in the s, Baekgaard and her good friend and soon to be co-founder Patricia Miller were waiting together in an airport to catch a flight to their shared holiday destination, when they noticed a dearth of feminine luggage options for women.

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Then, two years ago, the company hit a rough patch. Read More. Vera Bradley's VRA sales at stores open at least a year, an important gauge of a retailer's health, fell The company operates about stores -- split between mall locations and outlet centers -- and sells products on its website. Beder said there was a realization that not only did Vera Bradley have to innovate to retain its "heritage" customer, but it also had to find a way to build a new fan base among young shoppers. These items inherently appeal to school and college kids and young working adults," said Beder.

The turnaround. Vera Bradley CEO Robert Wallstrom, who joined the company in November after 16 years with luxury retailer Saks, said the company started to take "corrective action" in The most significant step was investing in product and fabric innovation to create buzz.

Last year, the brand rolled out a new collection of bags made with water-resistant cotton, bearing a more polished look with pattern-free solid colors in the mix. This may also be the same consumer who grew up seeing her mom carry a Vera Bradley handbag on her shoulder or a Vera Bradley suitcase to the airport.

So the brand connection is already there, according to the company. It has an opportunity to leverage that in a way that changes the perception of it being a "mom" brand to one that is relevant to her daughter or even her school age granddaughter.