Los Angeles - July 20, 2004

Alexandra the Great

Alexandra Valenti handbags

For an industry that traffics in instant gratification, Hollywood sure is long on process.

That’s what got Alexandra Valenti thinking. Having established herself as a successful screenwriter, she ached for the chance to point to something at the end of a day and say, “I made that.”

So she started making handbags — great ones — and found a bit of instant gratification of her own. Our favorites are the Los Feliz bag, which features satiny ribbon on beautiful colored or black leather, and the nifty canvas totes with silk-screened or applique designs. She has since branched out to make shirts and skirts, while also keeping up her career as a writer and director (talk about the best of both worlds). A word of caution, though: All bags are handmade, so you’ll need to allow a few weeks for delivery.

But we can guarantee they’ll never get stuck in turnaround or development hell.

Available online at alexandravalenti.com.