About

I’ve always had a wanderlust.  I’m from a family that spent summers exploring the world, and starting at 14, I traveled on my own or with an exchange program.  I became accustomed to, and even comforted by, the unfamiliar sounds, smells and tastes of a new country.  After college, I lived in Ho Chi Minh City for a few years, and then bounced between Myanmar, Paris, London and New York City, before returning home to Los Angeles where I founded my PR agency Truth Be Told.

Over the years, we worked with enormously talented people, and launched brands such as Serena & Lily, Jennifer Meyer Jewelry, XOJET and more. I loved sharing in our clients’ successes, and felt proud of our work.

But people change.  Our priorities shift as we grow and evolve.  My kids were growing up, and the industry I once adored became unrecognizable with the proliferation of social media.  I felt the earth shifting under my feet, and I was ready to move on.

Enter Rivers Eight.  I have always loved the natural beauty of exotic skins, and I remember my first pair of python shoes.  They were sky-scraping Louboutins, and I had to order them from Washington state and ship them to my parents in Colorado, as the sale of python was illegal in California.  That same year, I delighted in finding a vintage alligator Gucci clutch in a New York City resale shop. But again, we change.  I have slowly stopped eating meat and felt guilty every time I would lust after a designer bag made from exotic skins.

When I came across this rubber material, which mimicked the gorgeous, natural symmetry of exotic skins while being nearly indestructible, I knew it was built for luxury travel. So I set out to design pieces that would be beautiful, yet functional – a makeup bag for your carry-on becomes a clutch for a night out. Or a waist pack that is strong enough for a hike in the canyons also carries your essentials for roaming a new city. They are pieces designed for a life well lived.

Thank you for taking Rivers Eight along on your adventures.  Happy wandering…

Love,

Amanda