Anne Johnson started sewing city skyline bags in her college dorm room at 19. Ten years later, she runs a full manufacturing studio in Cleveland, Ohio. If you've ever wanted to carry a little piece of home with you, this one's for you.
From Dorm Room to Manufacturing Studio
Anne Cate started when Anne was a 19-year-old fashion major who made some pillows for her dorm room and found people wanted to buy them. What began as a passion project grew steadily through college, earning pitch competition wins and enough momentum that Anne went all-in right after graduating. That was 10 years ago.
Today, Anne Cate operates a full manufacturing studio in Cleveland, Ohio, producing accessories on demand - one by one, with a team she employs and is proud to support. "It's not only creating success for myself, but for other people as well," she says. Every bag is still made by hand. When needed, Anne still hops on a machine herself.
Products That Mean Something
At the core of Anne Cate is a simple idea: sell more than a purse or a pillow. Every design is tied to a place - a city skyline, a team, a memory - creating an emotional connection that goes beyond the product itself. Customers have written in to share that a bag cured their homesickness, that they carry a New York City bag as a daily reminder of a dream they're working toward, that they cried when they opened the gift.
Classic skylines like New York, Paris, and London are perennial bestsellers, but Anne is equally proud of the smaller cities - Buffalo, Cleveland, St. Louis - where local pride runs deep and customers want to show it off. Mini wallets, fanny packs, and stadium bags round out the line, all designed to be affordable, quality, and purposeful. Most products are priced around $25.
The Stadium Bag That Solves a Real Problem
One of Anne Cate's newest and most popular products is the stadium-approved fanny pack - a belt bag in team colors that meets the strict size regulations enforced at most venues. At 4.5 by 6.5 inches, it's the largest non-clear bag allowed into most stadiums and arenas. It comes in team colorways with a vinyl stripe, a fully clear version for concerts, and a skyline version for those who want to rep their city instead of a team. Wearable as a fanny pack, crossbody, or shoulder bag - and completely hands-free.
The line is growing: Anne teased an upcoming bag that will feature all the teams of a given city in one clear bag - perfect for cities like Cleveland with multiple teams. Rolling out in time for football season.
Made to Order, Made in America
Anne Cate produces entirely on demand - no inventory sitting in a warehouse, no waste. Because the products are designed for quick construction, the team can produce 100 units in an hour, which keeps prices low while still paying livable wages. Manufacturing domestically was never really a question for Anne. It was baked into the brand from the start - and she's found it to be an asset, not a constraint.
"It may be more expensive, but we are able to be on demand. We have minimal waste. We only produce a product when it sells," she says. "The benefits of producing in-house have only been helpful in our growth."
What's Next
Beyond the new multi-team stadium bag, Anne Cate is exploring new textiles and materials, and launching an on-demand embroidery suite on their website - allowing customers to add custom embroidery to existing bags.