In a small sun filled room in the fashion district, the Lapin Vilardi atmosphere is as open, whimsical, and challenging as the day they started. No outsourcing here - all goods are dreamt, designed and manufactured in downtown L.A. QQuality control is very important to these girls, and if they can't see it, touch it and use it, then they won't make it.

So the story of Lapin Vilardi began with a dusty shoe bag and a missing La Perla bra. While looking for a lost pair of wedges, Candice came across a dusty shoe bag and thought, why not design a bag that was as stylish as the shoes it contained?

That holiday season, everyone on Candice's list received a handmade shoe bag, including her long time pal, Erica Vilardi. Erica, a fellow patron of stylish things, immediately fell in love with her gift.

Soon after, Erica presented Candice with a lingerie carryall that she had designed herself just a year earlier.

As a fashion model, Erica had perfected the art of living out of a suitcase yet still found it challenging to keep her things neat and organized. Traveling through customs and being searched was especially embarrassing, particularly when underwear would go flying in front of the customs officers. Managing to keep dirty clothes separated proved equally frustrating when the only option was a small plastic bag from the hotel.

It was however the loss of a beloved La Perla bra during a chaotic overseas shoot that prompted Erica to design her own lingerie carryall to keep all of her personal items safe and in one place. She knew she was onto something when stylists and other models would constantly ask her where they could get one.

The timing seemed particularly auspicious, so the two friends decided to combine their talents and start a business together. The bags would be designed for whatever a girl on the go might need. After much experimenting, Candice and Erica established a line of carryalls that reflected both their love of travel and their passion for all things pretty.