Vera Bradley handbags and accessories splash UCF campus with fun colors and patterns
Date: Wednesday July 30, 2008Posted in: Vera Bradley
Walking around UCF, it’s almost certain that students will see hallways filled with girls sporting the floral sensation known as Vera Bradley. But as the quilted handbag brand grows with new patterns and accessories, the UCF obsession continues to blossom right in accordance to this Southern craze.
Candi Neuweiler, studio owner of the Oviedo Marketplace Merle Norman, which sells the Vera Bradley line, said that sales of Vera Bradley in her store have grown 74 percent in the last year. She attributes this growth to the brand’s popularity at UCF, which is now spreading into local high schools.
“They’re [Vera Bradley] definitely more popular in the college age,” Neuweiler said. “For that time in between classes you need to bring your books and all your stuff, Vera Bradley can offer lots of help with that. There’s lots of laptop cases, totes, pencil cases, stationery and things like that, so it makes sense for these women on the go. Also, it’s huge among the sororities.”
Stefanie Elliott, a nursing major and senior beauty adviser at Merle Norman, agreed.
“I would say daily we get UCF students in here buying Vera,” Elliott said, who works at Neuweiler’s store in Oviedo.
For those who aren’t familiar with the Vera Bradley line, the company started in 1982 when founders Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley were in an airport in Atlanta and noticed a lack of feminine-style luggage. The brand was named after Bradley’s mother, Vera Bradley, and is known for its styles that offer a lot of pockets and versatility.
Still, the question remains on why the line has gained such popularity at UCF. Neuweiler said the bags have gained tremendous popularity in the South and in the New England area. However, towards the west, in places like California, the brand struggles to even get noticed.
Elliott said that the bags are just handy and have lots of pockets and are very practical for everyday use and travel. Neuweiler agreed, saying they are very versatile and you can use them for practically anything whether it be used as luggage, a beach bag, a makeup bag or just to complement an outfit. She also said as more and more people buy the product, more and more people catch on to the trend.
“It’s like a unique bond you have with somebody else because they’re carrying what you like,” Neuweiler said. “But you are going to look totally different carrying it than your other friend. They have so many different style purses and handbags and accessories that there’s something for everyone - the age span is 2 years old to people over 90.”
Both also asserted that their price tag has a lot to do with their popularity. Vera Bradley bags range in price from $27 to $92, according to the Vera Bradley Web site.
“They are real practical and there are all different styles, and for me I don’t want to carry a bag that’s really really expensive that I’m going to be putting on the floor,” Elliott said. “These are fairly inexpensive and you can wash them. Plus, you can get accessories to match and get a whole collection.”
But as more and more women fawn over the style, an up and coming breed of men have sparked interest in the brand. Kenny Hart, a mechanical engineering major, said he proudly wears the line of Vera Bradley neck ties. The line also offers cumberbunds, bowties, cufflinks and pocket squares for men.
“I wanted one because they look awesome and they’re fratty,” Hart said. “They’re like 20,000 different colors and they’re all ridiculous”
On the other hand, some students like Nicole Bodchon, a hospitality management major, refuse to buy into the fad.
“My opinion is that it reminds me of something my grandma and all of her friends have,” Bodchon said, who prefers to carry unique off-brand styles and surf styles like Roxy and O’Neill.
Bodchon said she has never been interested in the brand and thinks it’s only popular because girls think it matches everything when it doesn’t.
Even so, as the company continues to come out with new styles and prints, the popularity remains in a state of constant growth. But will the trend last?
Ashley Connelly, an event management major who regularly sports her Vera attire, thinks the style is here to stay.
“They’re actually affordable and cute,” she said. “I think it will last because Vera Bradley comes out with new designs all the time and people will gravitate towards the new designs rather than a new trend, I think.”
Bodchon felt otherwise.
“It will definitely fade because there will be a new type of Kinsey coming out and people will get hooked on that in no time, and the old lady look will be back to the old ladies,” Bodchon said.
In the meantime, Neuweiler said her Merle Norman will continue to cater to the UCF crowd and even offer a 10 percent discount to customers with a UCF student ID.
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
