Sydney Weinger: In The Bag

Sydney Weinger: In The Bag

Published October 30, 2011

She comes from a long line of entrepreneurs, but now Sydney Weinger, the granddaughter of Jenny Craig, is breaking out on her own. In fact, she’s pushing the envelope, so to speak. A recent graduate of the Parson’s School of Design, the 24-year-old Weinger has launched Morton & Hudson, a luxury line of chic, envelope-style handbags named after the cross streets in her West Village neighborhood in New York City. “Fashion has always been a passion of mine, and I’ve always been a bag person,” says Sydney. I saw a need in the market for minimalist clutches that didn’t have a lot of hardware, kind of day to night, for a girl on the go.”

At a recent trunk show at her grandmother’s seaside home in Del Mar, Weinger was selling the $400-and-up bags almost as quickly as she could display them. Each style, made in America of buttery soft Italian leather, is named after places where the well-traveled Weinger found inspiration: the Village, the Marais, and the Kensington. A native Californian, Weinger’s line mixes West Coast cool with an East Coast edge.

Weinger’s business acumen and creativity seem to be part of her DNA. Father Duayne, a former Jenny Craig Inc. executive, is the owner of Hollywood Tans in San Diego County. Her artistic mom Michelle is Weinger’s fashion muse. The entire family appreciates good design.

Proud grandmother Jenny Craig points out that Weinger has launched Morton & Hudson by herself including designing the bags, sourcing leather, finding a manufacturer, distribution, quality control, branding and advertising. “My dad always had the saying ‘the harder I work, the luckier I get,’” says Craig. She believes her granddaughter will be successful because she is willing to work hard to achieve her goals. “She has the fire in the belly.”

Weinger calls Craig “my number one inspiration” for her collection. “She’s the heart of the company, really, she inspired it — her drive and perseverance. She’s been a huge inspiration for me.” She adds with a laugh: “I should probably call a bag the “Jenny Bag.’” Weinger says the biggest lesson she’s learned from her grandparents, besides their work ethic, is: “Do what you know. And I know fashion. I really am passionate about it. It’s really how I express myself artistically, through my designs.”

The bags are now only available online, but Weinger hopes to partner with a retailer by year’s end. She has a holiday collection in the works, and she’ll add a tote and satchel this spring, with plans, eventually, to start an apparel line. Jenny could have a handbag named after her yet. morton-hudson.com   Andrea Narvesen