Sherrill & Bros. | A New American Brand.
Clad in rabbit fur and slinging an authentic python handbag, designer Marcia Sherrill knows the kind of reaction she will eventually elicit from unsuspecting passersby as she galavants down the streets of Manhattan. Far from a bucket of red paint and mouthfuls of profanity, Marcia is met by enthusiastic women all asking a version of the same question: where can I get that coat and bag? This kind of reaction is what led her to create Sherrill & Bros., a new American brand specializing in python handbags, crocodile belts and wallets, and fur coats.
Marcia is a well-known figure in the design world, starting with her luxury accessories brand Kleinberg Sherrill (America’s leader in exotic skin accesories with stores in New York and Atlanta and boutiques in London’s Harvey Nichols and Japan’s Takashimaya), then pivoting to her affordable handbag collection Anabelle by Marcia Sherrill. Her background gave her an understanding of the universal desire for luxury goods that won’t break the bank, and propelled her to build Sherrill & Bros.
Together with her partners Christian and Diane, she dove in head first into the exotic skin and fur trade, taking on the quixotic task known in design as sourcing… to much of her partners’ chagrin. Scouring the globe for quality materials and artisans is challenging in the best of situations, but finding luxury products and craftsmanship for fast fashion prices is a downright Herculean effort. Undeterred and steadfast in their mission, the team spent countless hours harassing -I mean dealing with- suppliers until they found the best products for the brand. The result? An impeccable collection of artisan-made python handbags, crocodile and ostrich belts, and fur coats that is within everyone’s reach.
Establishing relationships with suppliers and developing the product line are just two parts behind the complicated yet incredibly satisfying process of building a brand from the ground up. Once we had our goodies in, it was time to give Sherrill & Bros. a voice and personality, just not Marcia’s voice as we would all need hearing aids… To make the brand stand out we had to design a powerful logo, build a sophisticated website, produce original marketing campaigns and establish every element that forms our identity (colors, fonts, labels, packaging, etc.) Most design houses would need years and deep pockets to create a new brand, Marcia and her exhausted team managed to pull it off in a matter of weeks, somehow without ax murdering each other.
