After 15 yearsin the leather goods industry, Perlina has established itself as one of the most important resources on the department store main floor and beyond. Once a secondary business run from the basement of the Mizrahi brother’s retail shop on New York’s 5th Avenue, the rapidly expanding manufacturer currently boasts an international distribution spanning 500 doors in the US alone, 2 in-house labels and a new self-titled free-standing boutique.

Named after generations of Mizrahi family leading ladies, Perlina was released to the public in the fall of 1989. Endeavoring to fill the niche between high-end designer and low-priced mass-manufactured goods, the brothers constructed a utility-inspired collection made up of simple and functional styles, crafted in what is still recognized today as one of the softest leathers in the business.

Tending to the needs of their verbose customers, organization was the foremost design focus for the Mizrahi brother’s first independent collections. The earliest Perlina handbags wore such details as multiple hidden zipper pockets, numerous compartment dividers and extra slots, which would one-day evolve into cell phone and beeper holders. By 5 years, the company’s offering had expanded to include small leather goods as well as watches. A decade since, Perlina produces 200 styles of hand-made handbags, briefcases and small leather goods, seasonally.

A Family owned business run by brothers Roger & Cezar Mizrahi, with the support of 300 employees sprinkled about the US, Italy, Japan and South Korea. A mainstay in the department store arena, Perlina is moreover distributed in a series of small specialty stores from Japan to Canada to Europe, also including South America and The Caribbean.