by Jennifer Velasquez

We chatted with team member Lauren Falkowski of Lolafalk, a line of leather and waxed canvas goods for men and women: bags, wallets, and small accessories that she designs and self-produces in her sewing studio in Boerum Hill. Lauren shared with us her latest design and important advice on the power of customer service.

NYHC: What is unique or different about your process and/or designs?

Lauren Falkowski: I would say my aesthetic, at its core, has always been about making a bold statement with bright colors - mixing and matching hues in uncommon ways that, once paired up in just the right manner, suddenly seem to jive together. I love pushing the color envelope!

NYHC: Do you have any favorite pieces?

LF: I'm usually fan-girling over anything new that I make! I love the latest addition to my collection, the Vera Bag, because it's a simple design that really let's a bold, color-blocked mix of hues take center stage. It's pure "bag-as-fashion-accessory" adornment, yet at the same time super practical too - it fits the daily essentials and allows you easy, fumble-free access to items such as your phone or Metrocard.

NYHC: Is there anything you're excited about?

LF: I've been using this time of quarantine lock-down to step back and reflect on what inspires me - business has slowed down a bit due to the Covid-19 crisis, and I'm seizing this stay-at-home time to get out of my creative comfort zone and explore new channels of expression. I'm dabbling in calligraphy, trying to learn Italian, and having fun with coloring and cutting my own hair.

NYHC: Any advice for other makers?

LF: Make customer service your #1 priority. Be so good at it that your customers regularly comment on how special you made them feel when they leave you a review. Think about how much trust matters when you shop online, and how you want to convey that trust vibe to people browsing your shop for the first time. Be flexible, be willing to do returns and exchanges, be patient and be the better person. The handful of times I've had something not so nice happen with a less-than-scrupulous customer have been cancelled out completely by the love (and repeated sales) I get from my regulars. Dish out the grace and it comes back to you in droves.