A very special crocodile jacket, symbolic of the payoff for hard work, dedication and the American Dream, comes to inspire a lengthy quest; a touching and creative journey, driven by love and family.

A young Leyda was just nine years old and Ben was 13 when their respective families left Cuba to settle in Southern California. Soon after, the two young immigrants met and fell in love. By the time they were barely in their twenties, Leyda and Ben were married and working their way to financial success.

About to become parents for the first time, the young father-to-be announced that they should start a business. Not what she expected to hear with a due date fast approaching, but Leyda trusted Ben and knew that there was nothing they couldn’t accomplish together. The newlyweds settled on purchasing a gas station. Although short-lived, it was a decision that fueled a pathway to a variety of business pursuits.

Hard work and dedication were the foundation of their multitude of accomplishments. Their entrepreneurial ventures would ultimately grow to include fashion, supermarkets, real estate and a variety of investments. The couple worked diligently to achieve success and create a legacy for their family. Their love enabled them to celebrate the highs, while teamwork empowered them to navigate the lows.

Never losing sight of their beginnings, the couple remained humble as they grew their empire. One day, the always down-to-earth Ben decided that he wanted a crocodile jacket. Regardless of what they could afford, as always, he had a budget in mind, only to discover that his number was far below the asking price for genuine crocodile.

The search was put on hold. Then one fated day, Ben and Leyda found themselves in a beautiful store specializing in custom leather designs. Leyda picked up a crocodile skin that was so soft “it felt like butter,” and to her surprise, although higher than originally intended, the price tag was within reason. She shared it with Ben. He would have his crocodile jacket! It was kismet. He was measured and decided on a bomber style with a variety of detachable collars. The couple laughed at the irony that they were still paying more than expected, but they just couldn’t pass up what felt like the deal of a lifetime.

They received notice that the jacket was ready. It was a masterpiece. The leather was supple and gorgeous. It fit perfectly. It was exactly what Ben wanted. He wore it proudly while the family joked that he vetoed the less expensive jackets because they cost too much, only to pay more for this one!

Shortly after, the credit card statement arrived only for Leyda to discover an error. The charge included an extra zero. “Not to worry,” said Leyda as she assured Ben that she would call the shop and straighten it out.

There was no error! The extra zero was not an accident. When Leyda looked closely, she discovered it had been there all along. Ben was now the proud owner of a custom, Grade 1, pristine and very pricey crocodile jacket!

The family was still finding this story amusing when sadly, barely a year later, Ben was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and their beautiful love affair was cut short.

Heartbroken, Leyda developed a deeply sentimental bond with the jacket and then she had a wonderful epiphany… she would convert it into the perfect handbag, allowing her to always have a piece of Ben at her side. And so the journey began, a determined Leyda embarked on an intensive search for the right person to make this happen. To her surprise, finding that person was not as easy as she anticipated.

Knowing the magic that would ensue, their mutual and indescribably enchanting friend Kim brought Leyda and Nancy together. Nancy was the founder and designer of bespoke handbag brand, JAMAH, which Kim knew was in perfect alignment with Leyda’s core priorities.

Once the two met and Leyda learned of JAMAH’s values, she knew the immediate chemistry was worthy of the love that she and Ben shared. Leyda shared the “Crocodile Tale,” and how much she missed the love of her life.

Nancy, Kim and Leyda, along with her exquisite granddaughter, Gysel, shared tales and laughter. Finally, the storied jacket was revealed and Nancy was ecstatic to announce that there was only ample material to create a bag for Leyda, but ther was actually enought to make bags for four of the cherished women in Ben’s life! They talked design and inspiration and excitedly settled on four styles; The Fiona for Leyda, The Gloria for Gysel, The Parisa for Grisel and The Maria for a young Solara.

Nancy describes taking the jacket into her factory. “The day we cut was emotional and sentimental. My sewers carefully picked the jacket apart and we laid it out. We wanted to use every inch of leather, so there was zero room for error.  As we made the first cut, we all held our breaths.”

Not wanting to waste an inch of the precious jacket, Nancy discovered ways to create even more options from the available leather. Even the pouch for the detachable collars had a purpose, perfectly encasing Solara’s bag.

For Ben’s two treasured sons, the remaining leather allowed for wallets and cuff links. Leyda also gifted them with weekender bags, using the last bits of crocodile to trim the inside pockets. The crowning touch: Nancy transformed the jacket’s silk lining into a dust bag to protect Leyda’s crocodile keepsake.

Each design was crafted to show off the beauty of the skins and serve as a reminder of Ben’s exceptional life, love and devotion to his family. Fittingly, each bag bears a personal message inscribed in the interior.

When the bags were delivered, to Leyda’s delight there was a heartwarming surprise. While disassembling the jacket, Nancy had discovered four strips of photobooth images of Ben wearing his bespoke crocodile, with his beautiful Leyda and his granddaughters at his side. She placed one in each bag.

“I am so honored to have been entrusted with this project,” said Nancy. “I feel so close to this beautiful, loving family. Leyda has such a generous spirit and our meeting was so serendipitous, so timely.  For me, this experience has been deeply profound.”

A magnificent romance is now immortalized in four JAMAH bags and “The Crocodile Tale,” continues to epitomize Ben and Leyda’s great love and legacy.

But the story does not end there. The synergy between the four women continued to grow, inspiring Nancy to design three beautifully distinctive namesake bags: The Leyda, The Gysel and The Kim.