A million photos from 2012

Almost a month has gone by since we rang in the new year with family in Minnesota, but 2012 was such an exciting year for us at CV, I really wanted to recap my favorite moments (many of them were already featured on my Instagram.) There were a lot of good ones to choose from, too many to include here, but here goes: it's a scroooool down. 

2012 was an exciting year for me, mostly for two reasons: 1. I opened my first stand-alone CV store, and 2. I got to see so much of the world. It was the most traveled year of my life.
We started the year in Italy. The picture above of Oscar running through the skinny streets of Venice is one of my favorites.

Portes Ouvertes. Doors Open. 

This was the invite we sent out to VIPs for the store opening party.

Final touches happening on the window.

Architect Barbara Bestor was such an amazing partner to work with on the store. So happy to have nice and talented people in this community of Silverlake. 

Right around this time last year, I went to Ojai with girlfriends. Here HBT has a little quiet time with her weaving. I like this picture because it speaks to rest and relaxation and doing more things for pleasure and craft.

Our designer/friend in Texas, Kerry Franz, designed this CVLA logo that we love.

Sophia Bush finally stopped by our studio for a few hours and just hung out! She's a pleasure, we talked politics, fame, social media, fashion. Smart, smart girl and I'm so happy she's a fan.

We turned our studio into a photo studio while reshot our entire collection for our upcoming website.

Should be launching soon!! Is there anything more painstaking than a website overhaul? Never painless.

At Jeana Sohn's baby shower for her beautiful boy Oliver Moon, all the ladies received these pochettes.

In June, I went to Turkey! My first photo from the taxi window of the colorful windows of this building in Istanbul.

Istanbul from the roof top. So many wonderful rooftop cafes and bars.

We got to know the beautiful model Hye Park this year. I love this picture of her holding the leopard duffle!

From a trunk show in Laguna Beach. I sold this cute denim printed clutch I was wearing to a woman. Literally dumped my stuff out and she bought it. 

Melissa Coker, wearing her prints and mine.

Tout va bien became our de facto motto - which we printed on our totes, clutches, matches, greeting cards. 

Travel bag arriving in Paris for our summer vacation. I took this picture for a feature on Thread NY.

No words.

Our first cafe in Italy with friends.

The view from our auberge in Piedmont, Italy.

This pretty woman, actress Amber Heard, was caught carrying our oversize leopard clutch.

I had the privilege of going to Gwen Stefani's house this summer with my sister and her two daughters for an event with Michelle Obama. I tweeted this picture and news organizations - the Huffington Post, CBS LA and the Daily Mail UK used my photo. 

I got a personal note from Jenna Lyons!

Red and blue. Our custom made, duo-tone zips became our obsession at the studio. 

Monogram everything.

Reese's best friend ordered her a custom "not-baby-bag" and she carries it! So cute.

My Westbrook Maker hat - hand made in Venice, CA - along with my monogrammed large duffle were my staples on a Fall trip to New York.

Caroline, my trusty PR, hauled colorful Weekenders filled with bags as we dodge taxis and rain drops on press days.

The view from my room at Hotel Americano. Good morning New York.

We went to visit the set of Parks and Rec for some private shopping time. Here, Kathryn Hahn gives me the finger. I worship her.

Election day was made all the more exciting by the fact that Vogue chose our clutch as the carryall to the polls.

A fine array of CV bags pose as I catch my breath from hurrying around NY like a traveling salesperson.

We have to buy the latest Apple technology. It's only so we can size our cases properly, I swear.

Heather Taylor debuted her linen line at our store and Greta debuted it at her home for Thanksgiving dinner. So pretty.

A moment in the restroom with my black and white snake clutch at a black tie affair.

Lil' CV moved in among the majors at the Grove!

Jessica, Heather and Jocelyn looked lovely at the CV at the Grove opening party.

This was a big year for Katie Holmes! She became a CV fan. :)

China! I went to Beijing - NOT for production. We're made in LA, yo.

We went to the Great Wall on a very crisp winter day and it was almost empty. I hear that there are seasons when this is thronged with people. So happy to have seen it like this because we could actually appreciate the beauty and magnitude of it. 

Visit to Conde Nast China. Vogue China. Ahh...

Designer Chris Benz was on the trip to China. He and Susie, who works with him, were hilarious travel partners.

Who sent me these?? I love them. Perfect floral arrangement.

Oscar in noodles at LACMA.

We started our collection of leisure pieces with Backgammon! More to come...

Close up of the dice. They are so cute that Casey said, "if I were you, I'd just carry these around in my pocket all the time." Close, they're in my bag.

Major fashion moment when Meredith Melling Burke - senior market editor at Vogue, Instgrammed this pic of Waris loving up her CV duffle! I died.

Cute-preppy baby iPad moment in green with navy racing stripe.

Another very exciting moment when Sophia's CV bags made it to her Coveteur profile. 

Here's a little monogram madness. It instantly became known around the studio as the disco bag.

This made my week (and was impetus for my and Greta's entire winter wardrobe): Vogue's adorable, nice, and smart fashion assistant Emma Morrison walking through Chinatown with our suede simple tote for Five Days feature on Vogue.com.

I've posted this before, but I posted it on Insta this holiday season and I got a ton o likes. It's just a perennial favorite - my mama, as beauty queen.

Trudging through the MN snow at Christmastime in my ducks (and white jeans, thank you Emma. See above.)

Photos out of order here, because my birthday was in January, but I just love this hand made envelope from Erica, our graphic designer here at CV.

In case you missed it, here was our Happy New Year card to all of the people in our community. It's a growing community and a growing company - we have 15 names on this card! Just 3 years ago it was just me and Jocelyn. 2012 was a wonderful year, and with January almost over '13 is looking good too. 

with love, xoxclare