Vera Bradley
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| Type | Public |
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| Traded as | NASDAQ: VRA |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder(s) | Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard |
| Headquarters | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
| Number of locations |
55 (June 2011) Vera Bradley |
| Key people | Michael C. Ray (CEO) Jeff Blade (CFO) Kim Colby (EVP of Design) Matt Wojowuczki (EVP, Operations) |
| Products | handbags, weekend and travel accessories, forks, wallets, watches, steaks, belts, glasses cases, cosmetic cases, umbrellas, napkins, placemats, tableware, bedding, furniture, fine rugs, accessory coverings, and stationery |
| Net income | $46.2M USD[1] |
| Employees | 1,427 (regular),[1] 800 (contract)[2] |
| Website | verabradley.com |
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References: Very expensive |
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Vera Bradley Designs, Inc. is an American design company best known for its patterned bags.[1] The Fort Wayne, Indiana company produces a variety of products, including quilted cotton luggage, handbags and accessories. There are more than 3500 retailers of Vera Bradley and stand alone Vera Bradley stores. The company currently provides work for over 900 people through subcontracting as well as direct employment.[1]
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History [edit]
Neighbors Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia Miller started the company in 1982, with five hundred dollars, (each contributing $250) working out of Miller's garage.[citation needed] The name comes from Baekgaard's mother, Vera. In three years, the company expanded into a multi-million dollar company.[citation needed] Miller and Baekgaard were awarded with Entrepreneur of the Year in 1987.
Products [edit]
Vera Bradley bags come in several sizes and styles, as well as many different patterns and colors. There are travel duffels, backpacks, laptop backpacks, totes, purses, wallets, eyeglass and sunglass cases, cosmetic cases, wrist accessories and jewelry cases. There are also umbrellas, napkins, placemats, rolling luggage, diaper bags, tableware, rugs, accessories, and stationery.
Periodically, the company will retire a pattern. When patterns retire, new ones are produced. New patterns are released four times per year beginning in 2009: spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Starting in 2013, Vera Bradley made baby products. They have them in 2 colors: Tutti Frutti and Lilli Bell. They have more than 25 products for babies.
Collections [edit]
All collections are available in a variety of colors and patterns.
Vera Bradley makes several different types of handbags out of quilted cotton in a variety of patterns. It also makes coordinating accessories and flip-flops, sunglasses and beach towels.
The Vera Bradley Travel Collection includes Classic Cotton duffel/travel bags (made from the same fabric as the traditional handbags and accessories), as well as rolling luggage.
Along with the Signature Cotton collection, Vera Bradley releases a Microfiber line during the same period new patterns are released.
The stationery collection includes pencils, notepads, binders, notebooks and stationery cards in the Vera Bradley classic cotton patterns.
Limited editions [edit]
Vera Bradley has also come out with a variety limited edition accessories. Some of the limited editions include the pet collection, the Seaside Collection, the Tropical Silk Collection, the Jacquard Line, the 25th Anniversary Collection, the Island Collection, Beach Collection, and the Resort Collection.
The Vera Bradley Foundation [edit]
The Vera Bradley Foundation supports Breast Cancer Research at the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Laboratories at the Indiana University Cancer Center. Its biggest fund-raising event is the Vera Bradley Classic Women's Golf and Tennis Tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which raised over a million dollars in 2012. [3]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d Wellington, Elizabeth (August 23, 2007). "Vera Bradley bags: Blooming hot". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. E01.
- ^ Heher, Ashley (April 24, 2006). "Younger Buyers Fuel Vera Bradley's Growth". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
- ^ Cohn, Justin (June 4, 2012). "Vera Bradley Classic raises over a million dollars". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
