DIANNE V Bags is a one-woman company created by Dianne Berkun, a Brooklyn designer, musician, and mom, creating handcrafted bags from exclusively animal-free materials. The Dianne V studio and all materials were lost in the Red Hook pier fire of Sept. 17th and Dianne is raising money to support relocating and rebuilding this small business.

I am Dianne, and I have been developing my craft in pattern design and bag making since the pandemic shutdown and opened my first professional studio on the Red Hook pier in 2024, creating bags in small batches using premium vegan materials and innovative plant-based textiles. DIANNE V offers handmade luxury at affordable prices and is rooted in craftsmanship, sustainability, ethical production, and lasting design.

All of my materials and financial investment have been lost in the five-alarm fire on the Red Hook pier, and I am raising money to restart my business. My needs at this time include moving, salvage if/when possible from the fire site, restocking all materials and supplies, and equipment repair and replacement. I hope to build back better with plans to expand my work and reach. At the time of the fire, DIANNE V bags were being sold direct to customer, online, and on consignment at 4 boutiques in Brooklyn and upstate NY.

In addition to my bag making business, I am the founder and Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, a city-wide non-profit music organization operating in Brooklyn for 34 years and serving nearly 500 students annually. I am proud to call Brooklyn my home and place of work, and where I've created my family and community.

You can view my work online at www.diannev.com @diannevbags