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Gina Lopez Alexander - known bag designer at Hollywood

by Midweek
Gina Lopez Alexander’s handbag designs and her cause, HOPE for Children, have caught the attention of countless Hollywood celebrities.

She shares about her meeting with Elizabeth Taylor, where they sat in the actress’s home as they browsed through personal family photos.

“She’s just nostalgic, an icon,” says Alexander of Taylor, who instead of picking a photo herself for her bag, instructed Alexander to just surprise her. There’s the recent creation of a diaper bag for new parents, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck.

“They chose to use a picture of them kissing, taken when they found out she (Jennifer) was pregnant.”


And then there’s the phone calls from hip-hop and R&B artist Ashanti, Usher’s mom and others. “I get in shock every time my phone rings and it’s someone like Kobe (Bryant),” she says.

She also had an order from Arnold Schwarzenegger, who purchased a photo bag for all the women in his family.

“Can you imagine,” says Alexander, “Maria Shriver’s mom (Eunice Kennedy Shriver) carrying around one of my bags?”

When asked what types of pictures are submitted the most for bags, she answers, “Kids and pets. People just love their families.”

With more than 60 kids in her family from siblings and cousins, Alexander always assumed she would have at least four children of her own. For years Alexander and husband Richard tried to conceive. When they finally did, it wasn’t what they expected.



The family reunion photo on the bag at right led
to Gina Alexander’s adopting a child
“I had an ectopic pregnancy,” she explains, “I almost died.”

The pregnancy loss and learning that she may never be able to carry a baby to full term made the grieving process long and difficult.

At about the same time, the Alexanders actively participated with the non-profit child placement agency HOPE for Children. “Richard and I were volunteers with no plans to adopt.” Three years after their disappointing loss, the couple decided to look into adoption. According to Alexander, the cost of adoption can be a financial strain, and explains that it costs anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 to adopt a child.

In an effort to help alleviate some of that, the fashion-conscious Alexander decided to make handbags. The sales of her designs would help her and Richard earn enough money to complete the process. Alexander used her love of the fashion world and background in trend forecasting, merchandising and marketing to create Gina Alexander Inc.

Following a one-year intensive application process, and with her photo handbag business moving forward, the Alexanders flew to Atlanta for the birth of their newly adopted baby. Again, they would find themselves in an unexpected situation. The baby’s birth mother changed her mind and the adoption came to an abrupt halt.

Emotionally devastated and drained, the Alexanders were uncertain that they would ever become parents. Fortunately for them, someone else knew they would.

“About two months after our first attempt at adoption, we got a call from HOPE for Children,” recalls Alexander. “They said a birth mother wanted Richard and I after she saw our family reunion picture in Maui.”

The family picture was part of an album that the Alexanders put together for the child placement agency during their first adoption. Hopeful, the couple courageously began the process one more time. Their perseverance, strength and creativity would pay off. On Aug. 16, 2003, the couple became the proud parents of Katelyn Regina-Kealani Alexander.





Alexander’s love of family and people are apparent in her trademark bags and are traits she learned while growing up in Honolulu. She recalls her grandparents, “Mama and Papa,” who legally adopted her. She remembers their home on Nihi Street in Kalihi where she lived as a child. After their passing, Alexander went to live with her mom in Waimanalo. Although the 38-year-old business owner is now based in California, she maintains a very close relationship with her mom.

What started in the back room of a house six years ago has grown to become a hugely successful business with an ever-expanding warehouse, 25 employees, and generating more than $2 million in sales over the past 24 months. Alexander is the family-run company’s founder and chief executive officer. Richard is co-founder and chief financial officer, and cousin Alexander Aquino, also a co-founder, is president of the company.

“My sister Angie Nakamoto is head of our customer services department and all my family members are reps,” gushes Alexander.

In addition to her success in business, Alexander has launched a very lucrative phil-anthropic effort - she uses her handbags as a way to give back and help other couples that want to adopt a child.

“A portion of the sale of every handbag goes to HOPE for Children,” says Alexander. She and her handbags have already helped to complete the successful adoption of children from Ethiopia and Russia.

Alexander’s line of bags includes designs for women and men. Folks can choose from wallets, pocketbooks, journals, totes, wristlets and more.

Adoration for Alexander’s bags and humanitarian efforts are many, but it is the stories of everyday people that get Alexander teary-eyed.

There’s an order she filled for a soldier in Iraq who surprised his wife with a photo bag of himself dressed in his Army uniform.

Alexander talks about the grandmother in the Middle East whose grandson sent her a bag with a photo of the grandchildren on it.

“He says his grandmother doesn’t use the bag. Instead, she displays it on the mantle.”

And then there’s the bag with one of Gina’s own photos, the one of the family reunion on Maui that sealed the deal for her daughter Katelyn’s adoption.

“Katelyn has created the heart behind the product,” says Alexander.

To learn how you can create your own designer Gina Alexander handbag, visit http://www.ginaalexander.com/

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