The winter weather has me fantasizing about hopping on a plane to a warm tropical destination. The next time I take to the skies, I will be riding high with my O.G. bag by Lo & Sons. Helen Lo along with sons Derek and Jan combined their love of travel, as well as past experiences in product design and advertising, to launch a line of travel bags. Determined to create lightweight, durable and stylish carryalls, Lo & Sons was born.

During a recent lunch with a gal pal, we talked about a common shopping problem: finding a sleek simple black bag which is roomy and not covered in too-large logos or excessive hardware. Thankfully I have found my answer to this problem courtesy of Lo & Sons. The O.G. (overnight & gym) and the T.T. (travel & tote) are perfect not only for travelling but also for those whose office is mobile. Function and form are key design components and the bags are undeniably smart and ergonomic. Fashionable totes and exceptional product design are a surefire way to this Superstylin* lady's heart.

Recently I have been inspired by entrepreneurial friends who are keeping the company in the family. Therefore, I had a little Q&A with Jan Lo to get more of the inside scoop about the brand.

S* The bags feature a "patent-pending internal support strap system designed specifically to help you travel lighter". I'd love insight about the design process.

JL* About the internal support strap system, the bags were designed to carry quite a bit of stuff. A lot of the times, the part of the bag where the straps are sewn to the body of the bag get frayed and all the pressure and weight gets focused there. We went through 7 rounds of prototyping, and part of that was figuring out how to distribute the weight more evenly throughout the bag and also so the bag keeps its structure better when full.

S* Any plans to expand the Lo & Sons product offering?

JL* I am planning to head to the factory in March to work on new prototypes. We are planning to offer more styles (e.g., men's bag, accessories, etc.) in Fall 2011.

S* Since both you and your brother are DJs, any thoughts about creating something to lug around your vinyl?

JL* No plans to make a bag specifically for DJs, per se, although as DJs we will probably make a bag to accommodate the current DJ needs.