Dooney & Bourke

Dooney & Bourke is renowned for their line of high end handbags, accessories and clothing for women and men. Founded in 1975, Dooney & Bourke handbags were a fashionista must-have in the 1980s and 1990s. It seems Frederic Bourke, the founder of Dooney & Bourke, has gotten himself into a bit of hot water.

Forbes reports Frederic Bourke was sentenced to jail on Tuesday as the United States government expands its efforts to crack down on foreign bribery. The founder of Dooney & Bourke was ordered to pay a $1 million fine, received a jail term of one year and a day and will face three years probation. Bourke faced a maximum sentence of 10 years for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Bourke plans to appeal the conviction.

Dooney & Bourke products range from $20 to about $625. The prices are high enough to represent quality but low enough for everyday people to grab some goods for themselves. In 1983, Dooney & Bourke created their famous all weather leather bag with the notorious duck logo. In 2007, actress Hayden Panettiere designed a new bag for Dooney & Bourke.

Considering the popularity of Dooney & Bourke bag, I doubt the recent conviction of founder Frederic Bourke will have an impact on holiday sales. While I appreciate the quality of Dooney & Bourke bags, I prefer Coach and Vera Bradley myself.