Stephanie Dawn Vs. Vera Bradley??

[edk35]

Has anyone bought Vera or Stephanie??? I purchased some Vera pieces a few days but came across Stephanie Dawn at another Hallmark. I really like her line and they were cheaper and MADE IN THE USA. So I am now taking my Vera pieces back. The young girls at the 2nd Hallmark told that Stephanie use to work for Vera Bradley but when Vera took her company overseas she decided to break out on her own and keep manufacturing in the USA. Not sure if this is true or not. Just curious if anyone has seen this new line??

 

[abmitch01]

ooh, they look pretty

what did you get? I think I like the citrus harvest color

 

[edk35]

ooh, they look pretty

what did you get? I think I like the citrus harvest color

I got the Kiwi in the Sling style and a matching small wallet. I can't wait to use them at Disney in 3 weeks. I really like them. I did check my Vera bags I just bought and they were made in China.

 

[ceecee]

Yes, it is such a shame the Vera's are now made in China. I have never heard of Stephanie Dawn.

 

[Evi]

I agree that its a shame that vera has stuff made in china but so does everyone else. I mean really look at lilly pulitzer I love her stuff but its all made in china. I'd go with which designer has styles that you like more. Here is the bigger question if your doing it for an environmental/patriotic reason. Are the fabrics used to make her bags printed in the USA. I only ask this because I think it would then be the same thing as buying a vera bag if they weren't. Considering Stephanie is Vera Bradley's granddaughter I wouldn't consider it a knockoff product more like I guess an extension of a family buisness.

 

[edk35]

I agree that its a shame that vera has stuff made in china but so does everyone else. I mean really look at lilly pulitzer I love her stuff but its all made in china. I'd go with which designer has styles that you like more. Here is the bigger question if your doing it for an environmental/patriotic reason. Are the fabrics used to make her bags printed in the USA. I only ask this because I think it would then be the same thing as buying a vera bag if they weren't.

I am pretty sure that the materials/fabric are made in the USA. Her website is:

www.stephaniedawn.net

 

[ptcruisermom]

Stephanie Dawn's are made in Van Wert Ohio by KAM manufacturing. They used to make the Vera Bradley handbags ,plant had extensive damage a few years back by a tornadothat went thru the area-they rebuilt. It is my understanding that VB pulled their contract and sent it to China. Stephanie Dawns' paternal grandmother owns KAM manuf. her son is married to the granddaughter(maternal) of one of my pool friends, thus the real Stephanie Dawn is my friends' great grand daughter she is the teen age girl in the brochure.

 

[hockeyprincess]

Ditto what ptcruisermom said!! I was going to say the exact same thing. KAM Manufacturing is a great place to work, very quality product, family oriented (KAM itself is an acronym for the family's name....as is Stephanie Dawn) The Vera contract did get pulled to go overseas, which is sad.

 

[kittycat9]

Glad to read about this. I noticed a local florist and gift shop was carrying this line recently. I'm going to stop in and take a closer look. I'm all for supporting the local economy and US workers. We need to keep our money here to boost our own economy.

 

[windycitymom]

Stephanie Dawn handbags look EXACTLY like Vera Bradley. Not surprised to find out it's the same family - Does that mean Gma VB is okay with that? How does the pricing compare?

 

[edk35]

Stephanie Dawn handbags look EXACTLY like Vera Bradley. Not surprised to find out it's the same family - Does that mean Gma VB is okay with that? How does the pricing compare?

From what I looked at yesterday they are cheaper. Now this was at Hallmark so I am not sure how many different styles they have elsewhere. You can probably do a search online with your zipcode to see who all stocks them. They have some pretty patterns.

 

[edk35]

Here is a website that carries a lot of her stuff.


http://www.beso.com/stephanie-dawn-purses/search?rf=bys

I got the sling in Kiwi yesterday and the pocket wallet.

 

[dseth]

I have purchased a Stephanie Dawn purse and little wallet. I think they hold up just as well as Vera and I received just as many compliments on them.

 

[udflyergrad]

It is wonderful that you each have discovered Stephanie Dawn. I am a sales rep for the line and want to clarify a few things I read...KAM was a manufacturer for Vera Bradley for more than 25 years. There is no blood relation between KAM and Vera Bradley, other than a decade of working together. Stephanie Dawn IS made in the USA, Van Wert, OH---KAM designs, manufacturers and distributes their own line and they are committed to always being made in the USA. Their price points are 10-20% less than Vera Bradley. If there is not a store close by where you live, feel free to recommend a store at their website...we are always looking for new retailers. The name Stephanie Dawn comes from the granddaughter of Kim Adams, the owner of KAM.

 

[windycitymom]

Does Stephanie Dawn have sales like VB? Sometimes you can get certain VB patterns for 40-75% off.

 

[msgoofy]

Does Stephanie Dawn offer a catalog showing colors and styles like Vera Bradley does? If so, where can one be ordered?

Thanks.

 

[Pigeon]

These look nice and it seems that shoebuy.com carries them. The prices seem pretty good, and I love that they are made in the US.

Does anyone know how they hold up for use as a school bag? My dds use VB totes for school. They hold up OK, but not great. If you or your kids have used them, what style worked?

 

[momof1princess]

if i could find stephanie dawn locally, i would definitely buy it. DD13 LOVES the VB bags, but the quality is crap. i bought her a bag last year, and she hadn't even been carrying it two weeks when one of the magnetic snaps fell off a front pocket. VB refused to make it right (i took it to a local shoe repair store and paid $12 to have it fixed), so i won't buy anything else from them.

 

[crusoe2]

To the OP - thanks for bringing this to my attention. When I first started buying VB bags, they were still made in the US. I did not know they had taken their business overseas. Not cool. I was planning to get a VB hipster for our next Disney trip but now I'll take a look at the Stepahnie Dawn bags and see if any of those would work for me.

 

[klacey1]

I have to say-- I honestly just prefer VB's patterns. To the PP with the quality issue-- I agree the quality has gone down in the past few years (the difference between my duffel that was manufactured in 2007 and tote that was made last year is VERY noticeable), but I still thin they're better than Stephanie Dawn. For some reason, SD just FEELS cheaper to me. The quiliting is not as plush as VB. JMO.