In 2008, I started cutting up old skateboards and turning them into handbags. I made every piece by hand. No factory, no agency, no budget.

The brand found its people without advertising. Pink carried one. Cameron Diaz carried one. Tony Hawk gave bags to his wife, his mother, and his ex-wife. None of them were paid or pitched.

Then I produced a two-city traveling art exhibition and charity auction. I gave blank decks to Shepard Fairey, Barry McGee, Os Gemeos, Mike Giant, Persue, Steve Caballero, and Jason Lee and Chris Pastras of Stereo Skateboards — artists I genuinely admired — and asked them to paint. We fabricated every finished board into a one-of-a-kind bag. The show opened at Lab101 Gallery in Culver City and traveled to Powerhouse Gallery in New York. Proceeds went to Adaptive Action Sports, the nonprofit founded by Amy Purdy. Sponsored by Stereo Skateboards, etnies, and WE clothing.

Got covered. No publicist. No paid media. Just something worth writing about.