The Shopping Channel:
Who was the most influential woman in your life?
Sylvia Kwok: My mother. She is my inspiration and my role model. My mother has a classic sensibility in the way she dresses, and that is something I always try to incorporate into my designs. I can remember as a little girl watching my mother get ready for an evening out, and thinking how she was the most glamorous and chic woman I had ever seen. I still feel the same way when I look at her now.
My mother shows me how important it is to love what you do, to love your life and to make every day count. She also tells me that we shouldn't go through life with catcher's mitts in both hands; that we must give something back. Throughout her involvement in charity work, mom shows me that we can all make a difference. It is so true that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. I'm blessed to have my mother by my side to share my life.
The Shopping Channel:
What is or has been your biggest challenge?
Sylvia Kwok: To do that which you think you cannot. To be strong, courageous, and confident in the face of fear and failure.
The Shopping Channel:
Thinking about the challenges and opportunities women face today, what one piece of advice would you give a young women today?
Sylvia Kwok: To not only act but also to dream, then not only dream, but also to believe.
The Shopping Channel:
What's your wildest dream?
Sylvia Kwok: To travel back in time. I'm a modern woman but I love everything old and historic. I'm always enchanted by medieval architecture, wondering what life could be like in the 19th century. Would I be able to draw and write like Beatrix Potter? Would I be able to confront with the issues of manners and gentry like Elizabeth Bennett? How is life really like if you're from the "upstairs" or "downstairs" at Downton Abbey? It is wild, but we all need to dream a little at times!
The Shopping Channel:
Finish this sentence: "we could change the world if we just _________"
Sylvia Kwok: Do unto others what you want done unto you
Sylvia's Story
To Sylvia Kwok, Soprano Handbags is a "Canadian Dream" come true.
Born and raised in the British colony of Hong Kong, Sylvia always knew she wanted to pursue a career in fashion. After she moved to Canada in the early 1990s, she got the chance to fulfill her dream -- Sylvia and her husband partnered with their long-time friends Jimmy and Florence Tam to form Bertotti Handbags in Toronto, Canada.
They unanimously chose the name "Soprano" for their top-of-the-line leather bags collection.
All Soprano leather bags are manufactured by the company's own factory which has been in the leather goods production business since 1967. All Soprano leather bags are designed in-house, here in Canada. The design team on the manufacturing floor skillfully transforms these original designs into the wonderful handbags that bear the Soprano name.
The Soprano line only uses first-grade quality genuine leathers that are supple, lightweight and durable. Only the best hardware and other materials are adopted after thorough testing. Soprano designs are fashionable as well as functional, and tailored with impeccable
workmanship.
Soprano Handbags is truly the realization of a Canadian dream for four young people who share a love for high quality fashion. They are, and will forever be, proudly Canadian.
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