Home
ALLY Losness had a dream. She would graduate from the University of San Diego with a degree in communications and get a high-powered corporate job.
Out of college, she became the marketing and communications specialist for a company in San Diego.
But the job wasn’t what she expected or trained for. Plus, she never knew when she could see her boyfriend at the time, pro surfer and globetrotter Mike Losness.
He would invite her to accompany him to places such as Bali or Egypt “but I wasn’t just going to follow him,” said Ally Losness, 25, who married him last year. “I wanted to go on my own terms.”
Those terms became clear on a trip to Vietnam in 2007 - she would design, make and sell her own handbags inspired by her travels.
Her label, Moda Viajando, means “traveling fashion” in Spanish, a subject Losness studied in college.
She uses canvas, leather and snakeskin and is favoring prints such as ikat and tie-dye. Most retail for less than $100, and most are clutches.
No size worries
“Bags are so great. Anybody can wear them. There’s no sizes,” Losness said. “If you’re having a fat day or a gross day, you can throw on a cute bag and feel great.”
She considers clutches an easy way to “punch up” an outfit and doesn’t mind the lack of convenience; most have an optional shoulder or wrist strap.
But Losness also likes to keep on trend, too. Her next collection will likely include pouch bags, which were seen on the runways for spring.
“I’m a little bohemian with an edge of preppy,” she said. “It’s a conflicting style because I’m exposed to so many.”
Despite having the penmanship of a “2-year-old boy,” Losness sketches her designs and takes them with her to Bali, Indonesia, where her bags are made. She selects fabrics and has samples made before she decides what to produce for sale.
“I think proportions will make or break a bag,” she said. “You can change something by 2 inches and it’ll give it the look.”
Losness enjoys the business side of what she does, too.
One of her favorite tasks is picking up her boxes, containing a couple thousand of her bags, from the airport after returning from Bali. Alongside crews of burly men with cargo trucks, she’ll be accompanied with just her husband or her dad and perhaps a Suburban to carry the merchandise home. (www.newsobserver.com/25012010/Moda Viajando styles are sold at modaviajando.com/)