When Danielle Guizio established her eponymous label from her parents’ basement in New Jersey in 2014, “Daddy” T-shirts supported by Kylie Jenner and custom altered Levi’s jackets for Rihanna and Hailey Bieber were at the forefront of the business. Years later, $168 sequined mini skirts emerged as the brand’s staple, propelling Guizio into the spotlight among Hollywood’s “It” girls and the downtown New York crowd eager to emulate them.

With over half a million Instagram followers and a knack for online fashion virality, the brand now aims for growth — in both retail and product lines. After launching two physical store locations in New York City and Miami, the brand quickly realized that its customers prefer to complete their outfits in one place. Following multiple sneaker collaborations with Reebok and Puma, Guizio opted to produce footwear in-house. In May 2025, she introduced a boot capsule, with two additional styles released earlier this year.

“The brand has really settled into its identity in the last five years,” Guizio remarks to Fashionista via email, with no pun intended. “It’s been an incredibly organic journey…We take our time with everything we do. Shoes seemed like a natural addition to how I envision a complete look coming together. It just required time to execute in a manner that felt entirely ours.”

This week, Guizio ticked handbags off her to-do list. Teased on Instagram with a “Sex and the City”-inspired campaign video filmed in lower Manhattan, the inaugural bag collection features three silhouettes priced from $198 to $220 — all set to be available for purchase Thursday at 11 a.m. ET on the Guizio app and 12 p.m. ET on guizio.com. (The Lola Shoulder bag and Delia Mini Barrel Bag are crafted from 100% leather, while the third style is an Embellished Satin Pouchette.)

According to the designer, her customers have been requesting handbags for some time. “Bags felt like the final piece, and the timing suited us to complete that full expression of the brand,” she states. “We’ve been working on these for a while to ensure the quality meets our standards.”

Below, the designer details how she arrived at the new products, her strategy for expansion, and how these new categories further enhance her business.

**It’s been 12 years since you first launched Guizio. What type of brand did you aspire to create back then, and how has that initial vision evolved over time?**

I began Guizio with the intention of creating something that our girl could feel empowered in. That essence remains unchanged; it’s simply become more polished and deliberate as I have developed.

**Prior to producing footwear in-house, you engaged in numerous collaborations with shoe brands. How did those partnerships influence your independent launch?**

Those collaborations provided me with invaluable insights regarding construction, fit, and our customer’s true preferences. They instilled the confidence to be more exacting when we proceeded independently.

**At what moment did you sense that the brand’s identity was robust enough to branch out from its original category?**

When I realized that people recognized the Guizio universe as more than just a single item. It transformed into more of a lifestyle rather than merely a product. Many are unaware that the brand has existed for 10 years. We genuinely took our time.

**What indicated that 2025/2026 was the ideal time to initiate that expansion with footwear?**

Everything came together! From our team to our resources to the brand’s clarity. It finally felt as though we could implement it at the caliber it warranted. We have more stores launching this year and customers have been requesting additional styles in our New York and Miami venues.

**How do these categories contribute to the Guizio business going forward?**

They enable us to create a more comprehensive wardrobe and reinforce our connection with the customer. It’s about sustainability and constructing a complete lifestyle around the brand.

**What was the most significant learning curve when designing accessories in comparison to clothing?**

The degree of precision. Accessories are less forgiving as every detail, proportion, and finish must be flawless.

**What has been the greatest challenge faced in producing accessories?**

Sourcing appropriate materials and identifying partners capable of achieving the quality we anticipate. It’s an entirely different process compared to apparel. We concentrated on materials that felt luxurious yet still attainable. The silhouettes are influenced by classics but incorporate subtle, signature details.

**What creative opportunities has this process unveiled for you that you didn’t foresee?**

It compelled me to think more comprehensively about styling and functionality. It has broadened my design approach beyond just clothing.

**Now that shoes and bags are part of your offerings, what does future expansion look like?**

It involves continually developing the Guizio realm in a measured way and broadening categories when it feels natural, rather than imposed. We have more of