About Danette Ward

The Di.Va. handbag was born in March 2002 when founder Danette Ward began making her unique and imaginative version of the cigar box handbag as gifts for family and friends. She soon became addicted to the thrill of creating such individual pieces, and to the huge response she got whenever she carried her handbags in public!

Each purse that Danette creates is a colorful one- of-a-kind piece of art! The designer applies rare photos, advertisements and posters from bygone eras to make custom themed fashion accessories that fit their owner's personalities. Di.Va. is the premiere custom order handbag company that will work with the customer to create a handbag using tasteful family or pet photos.

These hip handbags have even begun to attract Hollywood's attention! Beginning in Fall 2002 Di.Va. products have been delivered to the sets of Legally Blonde 2... Red, White and Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon, Raising Helen starring Kate Hudson, Along Came Polly starring Jennifer Anniston, I, Robot starring Wil Smith, First Daughter starring Katie Holmes,
The Playmaker starring Alec Baldwin, Love Don't Cost a Thing starring Nick Cannon, CatWoman starring Halle Berry, Shopgirl starring Steve Martin, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, starring Lindsay Lohan and Turning Homeward starring Dana Delaney.

Television shows Will and Grace, Drew Carey, Still Standing, Wanda at Large, Splitsville, Eve, Lifetime's Strong Medicine and two of Showtime's original series Queer as Folk and The L Word, have also had handbags from the Di.Va. Collection delivered.

In July 2004, Di.Va. was been commissioned by Cirque du Soleil. We designed custom handbags for Cirque to be sold in the VIP tents as the troops travel. Click here for more information.

In the summer of 2005, Danette Ward was a featured artist on HGTV's show, Crafters Coast to Coast. Even with accidentally supergluing her fingers together while doing her art project, she managed to have fun and had a great time.

Starting in 2006 and to the present, Danette has broadend her attention to other types of art. She currently is working in multi-media art projects involving found objects, tin, shadow boxes, pocket watches and even glass eyes!