By Cynthia De Castro
MAY 16, 2008
Asianjournal.com
It’s in the Bag
HER name is popular among Hollywood from every bag sold to Hope for Children,
celebrities like Beyonce Knowles, Penelope an orphanage in the Philippines. She has
Cruz, Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon received enthusiastic assistance from
Stone, and Oprah. Even male celebrities loyal customers, family and friends. Her
Ben Affleck, Kobe Bryant, and Gov. Arnold recent celebrity fund-raiser garnered over
Schwarzenegger patronize her trade. $148,000.
Who is Gina Alexander and what is her Gina’s story has inspired best-selling author
claim to fame? Jack Canfield (The Secret, Chicken Soup For
The lovely Gina Alexander, an LA-based The Soul) to feature her in an infomercial.
FilAm designer, is famous for her unique The infomercial will be broadcast around
line of high-end photo handbags. Gina’s the world to promote his book, The Key to
handbags have been on the Dr. Phil Show the Law of Attraction.
and mainstream magazines as Elle, People “I shared about how I had failed businesses
and US Magazine. Gina has also been Italy sparked her love for printing fabric, she and [how] implementing the Secret and
interviewed several times by Oprah. said. positive thinking changed my life. After
Gina started her business in their garage She credits her entrepreneurial skills to the reading The Secret and The Key to the Law
with husband Richard Bryan Alexander. training she got from her parents, especially of Attraction, I started attracting positive
Her business then expanded into a sizable her father, Cesar Lopez, who instilled in Gina things around me. Our business became a
office in Burbank, with a warehouse and a and her siblings that “the best education is multi-million dollar company, I adopted my
showroom to boot. hands-on.” daughter Katelyn, and my marriage changed
“I had no money. I borrowed from a Gina relates that her father immigrated to because my husband and I started looking at
friend and he gave me 10K in cash as a gift. Los Angeles in the 1950’s from Laoag, Ilocos the positive things about each other versus
We started out in our garage and then we Norte with just $50 in his pocket. the negative.”
opened a kiosk at the Hollywood & Highland “He was a visionary and everything Gina also shared about losing several
Retail complex followed by another one at he wished for he got, because he has an children, invitro fertilization, surrogacy, and
The Grove,” she said. unwavering faith and confidence stronger adoption where the mother took the baby
Now, Gina’s creations can be bought than a lion. He was resourceful and financially back at the hospital. But now, through the
at Nordstrom, Macy’s, ICE Accessories creative. He was an entrepreneur at heart,” Hope orphanage, Gina proudly says she has
and Saks Inc. department stores, ebags. she said. 50 kids in the Philippines whom she wants
com, 40+ boutiques nationwide and over Gina’s father and her mother, Imelda— to take care of.
600 professional photography studios also from Ilocos, were the first Filipino “So I have 51 children,” she said.
worldwide. couple to own a Denny’s franchise in the US According to Gina, after the filming of
Beginnings in California. the infomercial, the executive producer was
A former beauty queen (Miss Philippines “Their business grew so much we owned in tears and told her she was on the high
Los Angeles 1985; Miss Gardena, California hotels, restaurants, a limo service and a lot frequency of bigger and greater things to
1987), Gina Lopez Alexander was born in of property. I watched him play cash flow happen.
Torrance, California. buying a lot of apartments. He told me once “She wants to do a documentary on my
After high school, she studied at ‘why get one pay check when you can have life and a book,” Gina added.
the Fashion Institute of Design and 300?’ (he had a hotel with 300 units in it). I Gina tries to visit the Philippines once a
Merchandising. think that’s where I learned about leveraging year but she would like to go more often to
“I’ve always loved accessories,” Gina told at age 10 years old,” Gina said. see the kids whom she helps at the Hope
the Asian Journal. “I designed jewelry first After her father’s death about 12 years Village. She may just do that soon since she
and then worked at Fragments Showroom ago, Gina learned about him more, especially has been approached by several people
and sold Rafe bags [and] Isabella Fiore bags,” his philanthropic deeds and humanitarian from the Philippines to expand her business
she added. efforts. For instance, he helped Filipinos there. She also revealed that a meeting with
She also worked for Sue Wong and who got abandoned in the sea on a boat and Rustan’s is in the works.
Rampage where she gained experience in were left to die. He took action and rescued Aside from visiting orphans, Gina’s other
sales and design. them. favorites in the Philippines include massages
“My work with high-end designers kept “My father was always giving to the Filipino at the Mandarin Oriental and the Shangri-La
me always working with quality.” community. It didn’t matter what province hotel buffet, where she gets to enjoy her
Gina also went to Christian Lacroix’s you were from; he supported everyone who favorite food—halo-halo, kare-kare, bulalo,
Couture house and Chanel’s Couture loved Filipinos. That’s what I loved about and “always adobo.”
house in Paris. She went backstage before him the most,” she said. “I love my life and what I do. I’m living the
a fashion show and gravitated towards all Cesar’s philanthropic legacy lives on. life [that] I love!” said this one-of-a-kind lady
the accessories. Also, visiting fabric mills in For her part, Gina donates a percentage like her one-of-a-kind bags. (AJ)
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