Created by Gail Conzatti in 2003, KAIROS Designs—formerly known as GAIA Designs—began as an escape from the corporate world Gail inhabited prior to branching out as a handbag designer. Originally designed, individually hand-painted, sewn and sold by Gail herself, KAIROS Designs handbags—sold in nearly 200 stores across North America—are now designed by Gail and her creative team and sewn in Vancouver, Canada. Gail’s success story with KAIROS Designs is the stuff that entrepreneurial dreams are made of.

Begun as a small project, KAIROS Designs has bloomed into a sophisticated handbag company committed to quality, integrity of design and production and—above all—its customers. Built on a foundation of high ideals, KAIROS Designs is dedicated to creating relationships that benefit other small businesses and the Canadian economy; Canadian made, KAIROS has grown from Gail’s original concept to become a collaboration of creative individuals equally focused on details that delight.

Born from Gail’s post-corporate decision to work to live, instead of living to work, KAIROS Designs remains focused on creating quality of life—not just for Gail and her team, but also for the end user of the handbags they produce. “KAIROS Designs is as much about doing something because you love to, and not because you have to,” says Gail of the company she’s created. “KAIROS Designs is an example of what can happen when a person follows what their heart tells them and is able to adapt and change to find happiness.”

That ability to adapt and change is the basis of the KAIROS name. Kairos—an ancient Greek word that represents an opportune moment, a moment in which something really special happens—is a transformative concept Gail and her creative team understand. It takes a degree of dynamism to succeed in business and in life; growth comes not only from having and remaining committed to a strong foundation, but also from an ability to refine and be flexible along the way.

Gail Conzatti brings an element of the special to all of KAIROS Designs' creations. Whether made of luxurious leather, sensuous faux suede or bold-yet-delicate silk, each material is chosen for its ability to delight and enchant the senses. Equally important to the KAIROS line is the consistent focus on the practical—KAIROS Designs handbags are about more than just good looks. From the cell phone pocket in every bag, to the consideration of comfort and fit in every strap, KAIROS Designs' creations are to be lived with and loved.

KAIROS Designs bags become a long-term love affair to the women who carry them—few escape with only one KAIROS bag in their wardrobe once they take their first one home! Timelessly stylish, these bags are not about the latest trends in fashion; Instead, KAIROS’ focus is on creating contemporary bags with clean lines meant to transcend the whim of each seasons’ hottest fad. Durable, reliable and above all functional, KAIROS bags have developed an almost cult-like devotion from their fans. These fans are real women with real lives, in need of well-made, well-considered bags to take them through their day-to-day lives in style.

Attention to the details—everything from Italian hardware to bright, fun linings, lush materials and innovative images—sets these bags apart, drawing women back, season after season.