Aya comes to us from the Kyoto region, the ancient cultural and spiritual center of Japan. From her earliest childhood she was enthralled by the mystery and pageantry of the Japanese traditions, and was inspired by the incredible artistic detail and proud sense of craftsmanship that went into the construction of each article of clothing. Being surrounded by such beauty, she came to quickly to the realization that she was destined to be a designer, and by five years of age she was already creating & hand sewing her own original design miniatures for all her family and friends.
Her design studies led her to college in the Kyoto area, which led her to fashion school, which led her to the big city of Tokyo, to make her way in the wild world of fashion. Her first job in the fashion industry was as a "pattern maker" for Norma Kamali and J Crew where she learned the value of the manufacturing process. While still working for Norma, she began successfully experimenting on her own, creating one-of-a-kind purses out of both traditional and non-traditional fabrics and materials. After diligently absorbing the lessons of the big-time apparel industry, she determined that she needed to be free to follow her heart and create her own designs, and the only way to truly express her passion for design was to start her own business offering her creations to the public. When deciding where to locate her business, she was immediately drawn to Los Angeles by the wide-open opportunities to fuse the traditional Japanese design aesthetic with the casual and chic California multicultural sensibility.
Nappa Studio was born out of a desire to bring together the best and most unique elements of old and new, innovation and tradition, East and West, form and function, and to do it all with loving care.
All Nappa creations are a result of Aya's passion for design as well as her intense focus on craft, which ensures that all Nappa products are durably constructed, stylish, fun, & unique. We hope that you have a long and enjoyable relationship with our handbags.
