The Challenge of Designing A Dream Banker’s Bag for Her 

The quest was to craft an accessory that would serve its purpose and symbolize the KeyBank spirit. The design challenge was to intertwine the threads of practicality with the essence of elegance, creating a laptop tote that would be cherished as much as it was utilized.  

From Sketch to Spectacular: The Creative Quest for Our President Francine and Lead Designer, Shalilah Grayson  

Our President Francine and lead designer Shalilah Grayson at Francine Collections, shared the creative concepts that became KeyBank’s custom bag. "Our journey began in the spring of 2022," they reminisced, "We, with KeyBank, envisioned a bag that was a reflection of their identity and an extension of their practical business needs."  

Client:  Key4Women of KeyBank  

Project: Custom Branded Laptop Bag with Sleeve Project: The Rouge Noir Tote - More Than Just a Bag, A Women’s Answer to Beautiful Business   

Francine’s Timeline: From Design to Production  

 

KeyBank’s Banking with Francine: Custom Branded Style  

Our mission was clear: KeyBank wanted a signature item that would stand out in the bustling world of female finance and entrepreneurship. The Francine Collections design team was tasked with marrying form and function to create a statement piece for the women of Key4Women.  

Francine presented three design directions to KeyBank4Women and the teams selected the winning design within one month: a testament to collaboration.  

The Production: Fifty Shades of Black & Red  

The Rouge Noir Tote materialized from concept to product. Each tote was a tribute mirroring KeyBank’s corporate colors, while infusing the spirit of Key4Women with every stitch.  

 

   

A Tote that Talks: Testimonials  

The culmination of this collaboration was the Rouge Noir Tote with custom luggage tag and laptop sleeve- a fusion of flair and function. Lead designer Shalilah and the team basked in the glow of validation as accolades came pouring in, with testimonials likening the tote as a beacon of beauty and utility.  

 

Bagging Brand Brilliance:  “The bag is beautiful!” 

What transpired was more than the creation of a custom bag, it was the crafting of a brand ambassador in tote form. This bespoke piece became a paragon for gifts and corporate merchandising, amplifying brand allegiance through its impeccable embodiment of KeyBank’s values. Jackie Joyner-Kersee received the first prototype of the Rouge Noir Tote which she referred to as exceptionally functional and incredibly beautiful and chic. 

 

The praises sung by Key4Women’s Vice President, Colleen, serve as a testament to Francine Collections’ finesse in transforming a vision into a tangible emblem of empowerment, commitment, and sophistication.     

The synergy between Francine Collections and KeyBank for the Key4Women initiative paints a vivid picture of the impact thoughtful design and targeted branding can achieve. The Rouge Noir Tote is a functional accessory and tribute to the empowerment Key4Women fosters, and a crowning example of Francine Collections' dedication to exceptional craftsmanship. This narrative is a guiding light on nurturing corporate brand identity with luxury that’s laden with purpose, proving corporate gifting should embody both substance and style.  

 

We’d love to make the women of your company a custom bag to wear with pride. Collaborate with our President Francine and talented designers.