CHASING DREAMS

I am often asked how I came up with the idea of designing bags for cars. In truth, coming up with the idea of the JAMAH Motorcar Collection was easy; I saw a natural connection between luxury handbags and luxury cars, and the flood of custom commissions continues to prove me right. The question that should be asked is: “Why did you decide to take a chance on designing

PAYING TRIBUTE

Verona. Constance. Cleo. What do these women all have in common? They each have a designer handbag named for them. Verona is Louis Vuitton. Constance. Constance is Hermès. Cleo is Prada. What else do they have in common? Nobody knows their stories. Rosey. Helen. Lisa. What do these women all have in common? They each have a designer handbag named for

WORK-LIFE BLEND

I do not subscribe to the notion of work-life balance. Over the last few years, this controversial phrase has become a buzzword for people in the business world. Everyone is striving to find a perfect harmony among their career, families and hobbies all while maintaining their mental health. So often, people are told that they shouldn’t work too hard, that it is bad

A CROCODILE TALE

When I first started offering custom JAMAH commissions, I never imagined the emotional dimension that this work would take on. Of the many stories that have deeply moved me, one in particular continues to take my breath away. A young Leyda was just nine years old and Ben was 13 when their respective families left Cuba to settle in Southern California. Soon after

THE POWER OF A NAME

IIn order to build a brand, you must define your narrative. JAMAH’s narrative is that it is a Made in the USA bespoke luxury handbag brand that integrates cause and commerce. But a narrative means nothing if the brand isn’t grounded in a name and a logo. I am often asked about the meaning behind the name JAMAH. I first discovered it in a book called Origin

DOING DONUTS, MAKING MEMORIES

With the top down, the sun shining and Father's Day fast approaching, we cruised PCH for the last leg of the 2023 Robb Report California Coastal Rally and memories of the car adventures I shared with my dad came flooding back. When I was a young girl, many winter Sunday mornings, my dad and I would make a donut run.

CELEBRATING HELEN

April 7, 1930. HAPPY 93RD BIRTHDAY, HELEN! This week I’m celebrating The Helen, my amazing mom’s namesake bag. Helen was my greatest hero, my loudest cheerleader and my personal inspiration. She taught me to live a life of purpose, joy, compassion and laughter. Helen lived her life to the fullest. Despite four years of serious health challenges resulting in a

CARRYING YOUR HAPPY

On a never-ending quest to offer the pinnacle of personalization, each JAMAH bag is named for someone who inspires me. While it is not unusual for fashion brands to assign memorable names to their designs, at JAMAH we go deeper. I write tributes to my loved ones that explain how their best characteristics are reflected in their namesake bag. (I cannot wait to share more

PERSERVERANCE: ACCOMPLISHING THE IMPOSSIBLE

23 years ago, I launched JAMAH. My mission quickly became to build the first American luxury, Made in the USA bespoke handbag brand. I dreamt of a brand that would be spoken about in the same breath as Hermes, Chanel and the ubiquitous fashion houses. I wanted to bring luxury manufacturing back

"YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME"

I am standing in front of a room of seemingly bored teeangers. Some are on their phones, some resting their heads on their desks and most are wondering why this blonde white lady with a fancy handbag is standing in front of them. And then, I start to speak: "My name is Nancy and YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME. My mom was murdered in a home invasion and it crushed me,

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

In thinking about the age-old metaphor “smoke and mirrors,” I have come to the conclusion that it has a multitude of meanings. I believe that in order to succeed, entrepreneurs must share their vision with the utmost confidence from day one. Imagine my pulling up to a shop on Rodeo Drive in a beat-up car to pitch my bespoke luxury brand. Now picture my

IF YOU ARE NOT MY CHEERLEADER, YOU CANNOT PLAY IN MY SANDBOX

One of the biggest lessons I have learned as an entrepreneur is to tune out the naysayers.What is a naysayer Someone who sees shortcomings before they see potential. Someone who shuts ideas down instead of seeing them as a starting point. Someone who can’t dream for themselves and certainly can’t

LUCKY 13: 2.22.10 · HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AMBITION

I grew up at the ideal dinner table. I was encouraged to ask questions, to challenge the status quo and to develop a set of principles by which I would live my life. Over the years, I realized that the true difference between the “haves” and the “have-nots” is not wealth, but access and exposure. I asked myself one day: “What happens if you

HOW IT STARTED VS. HOW IT’S GOING

I have always been a creative, a designer, a visionary. I dreamt of leaving my mark on American luxury. But when it came time to find a job after college, I had convinced myself that onlookers wouldn’t take the pursuit of a career in fashion seriously and would dismiss my intellect. Always ahead of my time, it was 1984 and I already embodied