April 2017 – Min A. Lee

Composure Magazine – Michaela Conlin

Published on April 29, 2017August 28, 2019 by Battletag OuchiesLeave a comment

Celebrity feature for Composure Magazine’s 16th Issue, available here.
Read the full article at Composure Magazine.

An Excerpt:

Michaela Conlin on Saying Goodbye to Emmy-Nominated TV Series “Bones” and Navigating One of the Toughest Industries.

Photography by Amanda Elkins
Styling by Jessy Cain for The Wall Group
Makeup Kindra Mann for Tomlinson Management Group
Hair by Sascha Breuer for Starworks Artists
Story by Min A. Lee

You’d recognize Michaela Conlin from her impressive 12-year run as Angela Montenegro on the acclaimed television series “Bones.” The crime drama aired its final episode on March 28th, following for the last time the work of Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan, played by Emily Deschanel, and FBI special agent Seeley Booth, played by David Boreanaz, as they solved FBI murder cases with forensic anthropology. As Angela, Conlin explored forensic facial reconstruction at the Jeffersonian Institute Medico-Legal Lab and invented the Angelator then Angelatron – graphic simulators that showed victims and crime scene scenarios – and for over a decade, Conlin’s strong-willed portrayal of Angela added even more depth and balance among the already-stellar cast.

Watching Conlin on screen, you see a natural ease. She seems at home with any role she undertakes. This ability likely stems from her years of experience beginning at the young age of six. “I did a production of ‘The King and I,’” she shares. “It was a professional local theatre, and it was such a big deal to me to be a part of something. Acting was the only thing I was interested in doing.” Growing up in Allentown, Pennsylvania with a strong support system, Conlin continued to flourish. “My parents still live there, and they’re incredibly supportive. They drove me to endless play rehearsals, dance rehearsals, and they were always really, really great about it,” she beams.

From Allentown to New York City and now Los Angeles, the “long road” has proven rough at times. Conlin opens up about one of the toughest lessons to be learned as an actor. “You can’t take it personally. It’s very hard not to take everything personally because it’s such a personal business. It’s a human business. It’s based on humanity. When you don’t get a job, it’s hard not to take it to heart, but really, you can’t,” she advises. “That, and just having the tenacity to keep going against all odds.”

Perseverance does pay off, and “Bones” is proof of this – not only showcasing stability in a notoriously rocky industry, but also a solid learning environment. “I think being on a 22-episode show is a really great way to prepare you for a lot of things because your workload is so intense, the hours are so demanding, you’re shooting for so many months of the year, and you’re memorizing lines at the very last minute. It’s a really great place to train,” she explains. “For example, I did [the film] ‘Lincoln Lawyer’ a couple years ago, and that was a tough shoot. It was a lot of locations, a lot of nights, and I felt much more comfortable being on that set because of ‘Bones.’”

Going through the evolution of Angela Montenegro season to season, we see why fans adore her outgoing and confident personality. “She’s a bit free-wheeling,” Conlin boasts. “She was very forthright, strong, and direct. I really loved being able to play her for so many years. I was grateful.” As for a favorite memory during her time spent portraying Montenegro, there isn’t necessarily just a single moment, but rather “being able to have spent that much time with people laughing.” While certainly there are memorable episodes, she says, “We laughed a lot shooting the show. It’s a really nice way to look back on it all. There were a lot of hours in that lab, and I feel lucky to have spent so much time laughing with everyone.”

Composure Magazine – Schedraui Bags

Published on April 29, 2017August 28, 2019 by Battletag OuchiesLeave a comment

Story from the 15th issue of Composure Magazine, print is available here.
Read the full article at Composure Magazine.

The sisters behind Schedraui are spreading the love (and more than a little style) with their luxe handbag line.

Story by Min A. Lee

When Salvadoran and Lebanese sisters Grace and Stephanie Schedraui (pronounced Che-drow-ee) came together to create the perfect bag for any woman, it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. The challenges that arise with starting an independent brand can be daunting, but it didn’t phase them. Some would think working with family has its own difficulties, but “we grew up in a home where we were encouraged to dream big and work hard to achieve those dreams,” says Grace. “We were surrounded by a very positive environment where we were always challenged to learn and serve as much as possible.” With Stephanie’s fashion degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and Grace’s background in business and franchise management, they had the perfect balance of knowledge and skills to launch Schedraui in 2012.

The sleek design of a Schedraui bag is only surpassed by the incredibly high quality leather. “In our collections, you will always see leathers with beautiful embossing and soft textures,” says Grace. Initially, the sisters sourced materials from various places around the world, but they eventually moved their production to Italy, home to some of the finest artisans in the fashion industry.

But what really makes a Schedraui bag stand out against the rest are the beautiful, positive words engraved on them. From “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” to “Love will always be the answer,” each piece holds a bit of uplifting wisdom, a nod to their father’s influence. “What changed [my father’s] life and made him take a different path than the majority was reading motivational books and positive thinking,” says Grace. “Both he and my mom, they always encouraged us to work hard for our dreams, to be givers, to leave a legacy. So we decided we wanted to give those messages back to the people around us by engraving inspirational messages on every product of our brand.”

Schedraui bags definitely command attention visually, but with the inspirational story behind the line, the bags are even more appealing. Taking it a step further, a portion of each sale goes toward charitable causes, making it easy to become lifetime supporters of the brand. “Our parents founded this NGO in El Salvador named FUNDABECAS,” says Grace. “It was created to grant scholarships to Salvadoran children, to help them realize their dreams. So when we started our brand, we decided we wanted to build the habit of ‘giving back’ from the very first year of our company by donating a percentage of our sales to this foundation.”

As the Schedraui sisters continue to grow their label, they face financial and marketing challenges typical of an independent accessories brand. “One of our biggest challenges is moving to New York, knowing no one, and having to start our brand from zero in a new market,” says Grace. But she’s confident about her product. “Once they buy one, they are hooked for life because we offer excellent quality and craftsmanship. Also, our bags are very comfortable and functional, which is why our clients always come back to us.”

So the next time you find yourself looking for a new addition to your handbag collection, you just might want to consider Schedraui, knowing that you’re purchasing more than just an accessory. As one of their engraved handles says: “Be a light to others.”

Shop Schedraui at schedraui.com or Flying Solo in New York City.