Born and raised on the beautiful island of O’ahu and currently residing in San Diego, I have always been fascinated by style, dressing-up and the entire realm of fashion. Years ago, I had a large collection of handbags and an even bigger drive to teach myself how to sew them. This was when my inner-designer sparked. I had taught myself how to sew handbags, mastered the craft and even discovered how to design fabric. But it was only until I had my second kid that I decided to create an everyday bag, with multiple sections and pockets, that was both functional and fashionable. I soon began to refine the overall style and aesthetic of my bags with the intention to create a sophisticated style that could be worn to work, while still holding mom things. Upon welcoming our third son, the need to have a handbag that could accommodate the very different needs of my kids and my personal items, all while maintaining the chic and classy aesthetic moved to the forefront of the design board. As my kids grew, my handbag line followed suit.

Cue Nicole Malia, a brand that blends pragmatism with play to create bold, stylish yet comfortable pieces that can be worn with ease, in real-life and on the daily. My deepest hope is to empower every person to live, work and move throughout their day with a fine balance of comfort and confidence, without compromising on their personal sense of style.

I have this far fetched dream of being able to donate one bag per every bag sold to teen girls and women in or recovering from unfortunate circumstances. From partnering with women empowerment organizations helping provide professional attire, to filling weather-resistant, highly functional bags with hygiene supplies for the houseless community- I have big hopes for how much an impact this 'small' business of mine can make.

With love- Nicole, founder