We recently connected with Maria Caruso Martin and have shared our conversation below.

Maria, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The Bella Rosa Collection represents the legacy of my grandparents’ love story passed down four generations. In 1915 they fell in love as teenagers in a small town in the hills of southern Italy. From there, their life was an adventure with only one constant — love letters. Love letters were how they circumvented their family’s approval while they secretly courted. It was how my grandpa continued to reassure Grandma Rosa of his deep love for her when called into the Italian army. It’s where he penned his first of many proposals that led to the wedding that was just the beginning of their epic love story.

Letters were how they endured being an ocean apart when my grandpa left Italy to make their American dream a reality. Every Friday for 18 years, he sent Rosa his paycheck with a love letter to buoy her hope of reuniting in America. After long years of war and separation, in 1949, their dream came true, and they settled down in New Jersey with their growing family. Three years later, a plane crashed into their house while Rosa was home alone, ending her life far too soon. Rosa’s handbag was the only surviving possession among the ash and rubble. Safely tucked inside the bag was my grandpa’s letter in 1919 proposing to my grandma. Every day of her life, she faithfully carried it inside her handbag. Over 100 years after that first letter, and four generations of family traditions later,
I designed the first edition of the Bella Rosa Bridal Clutch to hold a love letter from my fiancé on our wedding day.

Today, the Bella Rosa Collection combines the intimacy of a personal inscription, the loving touch of embroidered couture, and the romance of Italian craftsmanship. From your engagement party to saying “I do,” we establish connections between each wedding event, so every bag feels creative yet cohesive. I want you to experience the same thrill and joy for your Bridal Clutch as you did when you found “the one” — meaning your wedding dress, of course. The Bella Rosa Bridal Clutch is a wedding heirloom in a small-batch, sustainable fashion with the potential to pass on for generations.

Maria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a classically trained interior designer known for my timeless aesthetics. After 20 years of crafting inspiring spaces, I found myself at a new intersection of fashion, art, and heritage. These passions led me to create a fashion handbag brand that preserves Italian luxury and has the power to do good in the world through philanthropy and sustainable craftsmanship.

The Bella Rosa Collection is a bespoke line of custom bridal and evening clutches and handbags that preserves Italian luxury in a small-batch, sustainable fashion. The Bella Rosa Collection is also where the modern woman is inspired by the female entrepreneurs and style icons with whom I collaborate through seasonal releases of specialty items, from celebrity stylists to prolific event designers, and empowered influential women in business.

As a female-founded company, I am 100% hands-on. Our bespoke program allows the bride or stylist to work directly with me to create a one-of-a-kind piece made just for their hands. This ultra-personalization sets us apart from larger companies.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

Waste is a major issue worldwide, particularly in the fashion industry. The Bella Rosa Collection follows a made-to-order manufacturing model that slows the fashion cycle, minimizes waste, and reduces overproduction.

Our sustainability efforts start at conception. Every handbag is designed to become a staple in a woman’s life – not just used for a singular occasion. As such, we use only the highest quality materials to craft a bag that has the potential to be passed down for generations, a family heirloom with deeper meaning.

All our products are handmade using expert manufacturing techniques in Florence, Italy, by top artisans. The decision to manufacture in Italy was motivated by my Italian heritage and the desire to offer our clients the highest quality products.

In searching for the right manufacturer, I sought an Italian company that offered advanced artistry techniques, made-to-order capabilities, and contact on the ground that could be my ears and eyes in Italy.

Of course, there have been challenges in manufacturing with a made-to-order model. Managing the cost of goods, sourcing fabrics, and factory closings have been challenging. However, the ability to adhere to strict quality standards, the reduction of waste, and the capacity to offer highly personalized products are reasons Italian handmade-to-order manufacturing is the right step for The Bella Rosa Collection.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The Bella Rosa Collection is a rebirth of my first bridal accessory line, The Mrs. Clutch. I began my first fashion handbag line with a sole bridal focus. I thoroughly enjoyed serving in this space; however, as the product line evolved, I quickly discovered the brand was outgrowing its bridal identity.

To stay agile and flexible for new product lines and industry partners, I discontinued the original product line from The Mrs. Clutch Brand. Pivoting your brand after so much effort and money was already invested is scary. Despite any fears of the past, I knew I needed to look forward and find a brand identity that better encapsulated the vision of where I see the business going in the future.

I continue to have a strong passion for the wedding and bridal space. Still, the Bella Rosa Collection is an improved representation of its full product line of evening and bridal handbags.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thebellarosacollection.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_thebellarosacollection/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebellarosacollection
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLix8lSaz5cwaKxhfHFadIQ?app=desktop
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/thebelllarosacollection/_shop/

Image Credits
Photo: Christian Oth Studio —-Micaela Erlanger (bride with mother in wedding dress, bridesmaid holding clutch, Micaela Holder bag with dress swining) Photo: Rebecca Yale —– Photo of embroidery bag with hummingbird