PEcado Handbags and Accessories are crafted from carefully selected genuine leather and handmade in Northern Michigan, USA.
Bringing three generations of family artistry, design knowledge, and experience from Eastern Europe, PEcado designs are based on an architectural approach of modifying and creating new constructions while using a handmade process to create bags and accessories that successfully combine function, style, and distinction.
Originally from Ukraine, owner and designer of PEcado Handbags and Accessories, Alona Kelly, started as a fashion designer by making custom garments at the age of 14, and with life challenges and transformations through the years, she opened her first retail handbag and accessory showroom in the summer of 2013 in Petoskey, Michigan.
Dream
“Every little girl and boy has a dream job; a job that may not be their final stop in life but definitely a fascination at the time. I was not an exception – I grew up in a middle-class family that struggled financially from time to time. Dreaming seemed to be the only thing that did not require finances,” – Alona laughs. “I dreamed of becoming the next generation’s Coco Chanel or Karl Lagerfeld; dreamed of being a fashion designer!”
“I started when I was 6/7 years old, helping my grandma and my mom with sewing, knitting, cross-stitching, and other projects. I loved it!”
As Alona continues her story, she shares, “Taking some fashion design and tailoring classes in high school gave me enough basic knowledge to understand the concept of design principles and techniques. By the time I turned 16, I was already making custom-designed garments for family members and friends, and by 19, – for private customers. I would stay up till 6 o’clock in the morning just to finish a piece and look at the final result before I went to bed!!”
“The excitement of transformation from a few scraps of material to an amazing finished piece was bigger than me. So, as a fear of going to college and continuing to do what I loved the most day in and day out… The idea of losing that excitement, that drive and getting bored with sewing was so big and persistent that it pushed me into a totally different field instead – language interpretation.”
“Coming to the United States in 2009 began a new chapter in my life. An unexpected opportunity of working and learning about different types of genuine leather ignited a sparkle that gave enough courage to open my own business in the summer of 2011”.
Since then, Alona has channeled her artistic appreciation and creativity into all of her collections, finding inspiration throughout her life and the world at large. She designs for women and men who enjoy quality and personalized touch to enhance their individuality through custom-made accessories. “We assist customers when choosing a style of the desired piece. In addition to skin, color, and texture options, size, the length of the strap(s) (if any), the number of pockets, zippers, etc., may also be tailored to a customer’s personal taste.”
Life Changes and Transformations
Through life changes and vision transformation, Alona and her business partner, Jerry Loveland, an owner of MVD properties, expanded the PEcado boutique in fall of 2019 by bringing high-quality designer RTW clothing to Northern Michigan from Eastern Europe to compliment Alona’s leather works.
In addition, as a practicing psychogenetics specialist and life coach of “IDEAL” Law to Success, Alona Kelly offers seminars on fashion and understanding how to master the skills to manage your life efficiently. Through Alona’s coaching, you can change undesirable laws of behavior, liberate from victimized consciousness, obtain qualitatively new results, form yourself as an ideal highly intellectual essence of the growth of mastery in any field, use spiritual law for prosperity, and more. Private and group consultations are available to quickly and effectively increase one’s quality of life.
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