Autumn Cruz/acruz@sacbee.com

It's been just a little more than a month, but there's been a lot of change since I wrote about local handbag designer Ada Komorniczak-Deferrari (pictured) and her incredible accessories. (To see the article that ran in Scene, click here.)

Anyway, over calamari and cool drinks on Friday, Ada filled me in on her recent trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where her handbags, belts and wallets are designed andl handmade.

"After people saw the bags, especially the croco one in The Bee, I had to increase orders from once to twice a month, and I've extended that croco line to include new shapes and sizes and new fabrics, such as metallics," she says.

Ahh, sweet success!

Ada, whose collection is, well, simply called "Ada," traveled to Argentina in
April with her husband, Gaston, who's also her business partner and a native of that country. (I asked if they had spotted the "Today" show's Matt Lauer, who was there last Monday on the first leg of his "Where in the World" tour. "No, but I'm sure he had a good time with the dancing and the dining," she says.)

Anyway, what's in the works for Ada's upcoming collections?

Well, her portfolio of fabrics tells an interesting story. Customers will see textures like anaconda, and the fall collection will focus on deep plums with reptile and a mixture of patent leathers.

This summer, Ada is also putting together a tote-bag collection to benefit a women's shelter in Buenos Aires. She found out about the shelter on the recent trip, where she met women who were making beautiful heart keychains to raise awareness about abuse. Now, Ada is creating a signature tote (in multiple colors) that will include the keychain, with a percentage of the sales to go to the shelter.

"They're earning a living to support their families, so I see it as a chance to contribute to their well-being," she says.

To find out more, check out Ada's Web site here.

Besides Argentina, Ada and Gaston traveled to Dallas and Chicago, where they found the markets mixed.

"Chicago is more conservative in terms of fashion," she says. "Dallas tended to embrace my suede bags in purple and green, and white is big for summer."

Another thing Ada is learning? Fashion trends definitely enter from the two coasts and then move inland. And, there's always a demand for both classic and trendy looks.

For those of you who gotta-have-an-Ada, here are some local boutiques that carry her line:
* Morgan Lain, 613 Munroe St. in Sacramento
* Five, 2580 Fair Oaks Blvd. Sacramento
* The Pink House, 1462 33rd St. in Sacramento
* Sandra D's Fashions, 3941 Park Drive, Suite 60, in El Dorado Hills