After years of working on the fashion frontline and travelling back and forth from Los Angeles, New York and Paris, Kimberly Hartman set off on a global quest and returned having found her passion. The result- JADEtribe, a line comprised of handcrafted jewelry, clutches and handbags. During a stay in Laos, Hartman found herself in a weaving village and the pieces began to fall in place. In an effort to help the women in the rural crafting community, she purchases the handwoven textiles at a fair price and, in turn, hires women at a fair wage to sew the goods. Hartman now returns three times a year to design and oversee production.

Hartman considers herself a spring/summer gal and JADEtribe's fall collection is an extension of the spirit of spring, just warmer and cozier. The brand's focus is still heavy on travel- whether it is Aspen or Jackson Hole to ski or snowboard or a warm weather getaway to Bali for the holidays. The handwoven Laos textiles used a white warp for spring. The fall styles use a black warp and take on more of a Native American or South American Aztec feel. "It is quite surprising how rural ethnic tribes all over the world have similar aesthetics" says Hartman.

Other faraway destinations at the top of Hartman's list to travel to and source from include South Africa and Bali. "Africa needs so much help that if I provide sustainable incomes for women there, it would be amazing." JADEtribe's tagline to "dream, imagine, explore, discover, inspire, love, grow, share" is more of a mantra: Dream your dream, imagine what you can create, discover people and ways of achieving your goals, inspire others along your journey, love freely and love what you do, grow as a person spiritually as you grow your idea, company and brand, and share your story and experience with others.

JADEtribe is set to launch e-commerce on the company's website very soon. Hartman is excited about the online store since it will allow her to offer more one-of-a-kind items crafted from rare recycled textiles which are impossible to wholesale as the quantities are too limited. Plans to expand the JADEtribe offering and include apparel are definitely in mind. Hartman wants to do sexy beach dresses and envisions a JADEtribe version of a caftan. Her travels continue around the globe in search of the right group of women to work with on her next venture.

Please visit JADEtribe on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

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.

While my O.G. bag is going to come in handy for my daily and travel needs, it is also perfect for stashing a bottle of bubbly to go!