Tommy Hilfiger's Wife Dee Ocleppo Launches Handbag Line for HSN
With a husband like Tommy Hilfiger, it’s hard to find yourself very far from the fashion fray. After serving as a loyal fan to her man (and her stepdaughter, NAHM designer Ally Hilfiger!), Dee Ocleppo’s taking a shot at design herself.
The former model is launching Deesigns, a collection of handbags for HSN, and gave reporters a sneak peek of the mix-and-match line at the home she shares with Tommy in the Plaza Hotel Wednesday morning.
Deesigns is comprised of four styles: the Plaza clutch, Greenwich ring satchel, Monaco tote, and Mustique bag, and each comes with a removable and reversible cover to give each bag several different styling options.
"They’re based on a bag that was called the Pappagallo bag, or the Bermuda bag—we were all obsessed in the 7th grade with these bags!” Ocleppo told FashionEtc. “I used to stick my Bonne Bell lip gloss and my hair brush in those bags, because we didn’t have cell phones in those days!
Photos courtesy of HSN
Left: the Monaco tote, $159.90. Right: the Plaza clutch, $99.90.
“I decided that I wanted to try to make an adult version, an oversized version, with much more modern covers and skins. I wanted to do all kinds of fabrics—we’re even going into faux furs for the fall—and make them really luxurious and grown-up.”
Ocleppo explained that partnering with HSN for the launch was natural, as the bags benefit from a demonstration. “HSN is the prefect vehicle for this because I can explain and show how the covers go on and reverse,” she said. “I think it’s much better than it sitting on a store shelf, where some people might just pass it by.”
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Another enticing feature of the handbags? The price. They retail between $99.90 and $249.90, with additional covers sold for $29.90 to $46.90.
“I think bags today are ridiculously overpriced,” said Ocleppo, “unless you’re willing to take a mortgage on your home or go into debt for the next year! I want to offer these up to everybody. I want them to be affordable, but also luxurious and fashionable.”
Want to tune in? Ocleppo will make her HSN on-air debut on March 22, and the bags will be available through the channel or on HSN.com the same day.
