It was just another day in Chinatown when Susan Korn’s particularly adorable Chihuahua Pidgeon guided her down an unknown street where she came across a shop filled with bags of brightly-colored beads. Curiosity peaked, she stumbled into the store to explore further and was immediately inspired by the vivid materials. After communicating with the shop owner (via her 10-year old son who served as a translator from Cantonese to English), Korn left her with nothing more than a quick sketch for her to create a custom design. A week later, she was holding the bag that launched her business.

You’ve likely seen the infamous bag on the arm of a fashionable pedestrian in downtown Manhattan or it-girls like Gigi Hadid and Alexa Chung. They’re almost impossible to miss – the signature kitschy-meets- cool candy-colored beaded bags come in a wide variety of forms, ranging from the shape of several citrus fruits to animal prints.

While the recent wave of attention is new for the designer, she is certainly no newcomer to the industry. She started her label with a small collection of jewelry after perfecting the craft while working for over six years with CFDA member Jill Platner.

In a sea of minimalist designers and redundant “it-bags’ and accessories, Susan Alexandra offers a bold and humorous approach that makes the label stand out. We caught up with the emerging talent in her eclectic Chinatown studio to hear more about her plans to build her accessories empire.

Why did you decide to launch your own business?

I was so tired of giving my energy to other people and to other people’s dreams. It was really scary leaving the comfort and stability of a nine-to-five job but I knew I had to take a leap. I’m bad at leaps and I took a leap which means ANY ONE can do it.

How would you describe your brand?

Funny, whimsical, deep, empathetic and joyful.

What has been the biggest challenge with starting/expanding your business?

Learning how to do everything! I didn’t know running a company would be so difficult. Learning how to manufacture is very difficult. It’s all hard. You have to be willing to be exhausted, scrappy and lean away from negativity and fear.

What sets you apart from other designers?

Me. Everything has been done under the sun, right? The one thing I am bringing to the table that no one else has is me. My ideas, my vision, my humor and my beliefs.

What’s the next step for Susan Alexandra? 

I want the world. I want to expand into everything from house paint to perfume to dog leashes. First, need to find a way to replicate four more of me.