Naida Begeta Brings Kao Pao Shu Design Studio and Store to Santa Monica

Bosnian designer Naida Begeta has brought her newest collections to the Los Angeles area with the opening of her Kao Pao Shu Studio in Santa Monica.

Begeta was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and at the age of 12 lived through wartimes in her native home. After the tumultuous years, Begeta was given the opportunity to attend high school in Washington due to the Fellowship of Recreation project. Years later, Begeta ventured back to Bosnia and attended college at University of Sarajevo’s Academy of Fine Arts focusing on product design. That’s where her love for designing was born.

While in school, Begeta realized she could not find a handbag that suited her needs and style, so she created one for herself.

“That’s how I realized a way for me to express myself,” Begeta told LA’s The Place. “Suddenly it all started making sense. That’s how it all started—from that first bag.”

She learned webbing and ribboning styles and soon her friends wanted a handbag and then friends of friends were looking to buy them from her.

That first bag was not as skilled as the pieces she now is known for and did not even have a zipper–one of the most notable aspects of her current collection. The first actually had no real way of closing.

“It was not that advanced. It didn’t close, didn’t do anything,” she said, laughing. “It was very flat, one of those ‘put your hand in and see what you find.’”

After the success with her handbags, Begeta continued experimenting with clothing designs and making her own fabrics.

In 2004, Begeta graduated at the top of her class and continued designing professionally between living in Milan and Sarajevo. Kao Pao Shu, named after a Hong Kong actress and director, was born and was sold in Milan as well as Japan’s Dice & Dice.

Described as “a whimsical modern take on classic European avant-garde emphasizing functionality and bold designs,” Begeta’s line boasts not just handbags but also dresses and keychains.

Now, Kao Pao Shu is a “fast growing brand best selling in Japan.”

Married to Italian commercial director Marco Schillaci—who also provides the photographs for her collection—Begeta decided to move to Los Angeles in 2007, and the flagship store was opened in Beverly Hills. As a retail location only, Begeta wanted something different.

“It wasn’t organic having these separate,” she said of having one space for selling the pieces and one for making them. “People would walk into the store, and if I’m not there, it’s really hard to transfer that energy to selling it. It wasn’t like a perfect thing.”

The new location in Santa Monica serves as a workshop and studio and a retail store for buying and creating custom designs. Begeta is “hilariously happy” with the space and location.

This September, Begeta’s newest collection will debut, and she has high hopes for the area, wanting to plan a possibly monthly event using the space to its full ability.

“It’s a great space for moments and happenings,” she said. “It’s not yet defined but something we are working on.”

The official grand opening event was sponsored by Yelp, Regard Magazine, ice tropez, Studio DNA and IZZE and band David and Devine performed. Several attendees were rewarded handbags as raffle prizes, and the audience also watched a couple of mini runway shows with models in Begeta’s line.

For more information on Naida Begeta and Kao Pao Shu, visit www.kaopaoshu.com.