Originally a men's supplier of belts, suspenders, and ties,[1] the company now specializes in handbags and small accessories.

[4] The duo started with men's leather belts and suspenders (handmade by Peter Dooney), inspired by military gear, mail pouches and saddlebags.

On May 30, 2008, District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled in favor of Dooney & Bourke and dismissed the case.

[8] Bourke was convicted of conspiring with Czech national, Viktor Kožený, known as "Pirate of Prague,"[9] to pay bribes to the ex-president and government officials of Azerbaijan.

[10] Although Bourke did not personally bribe the government officials and lost his $8 million investment in a hedge fund managed by Kožený, Bourke was found to have known that money invested in the fund was used for bribing Azeri officials with cash and a secret two-thirds interest in the oil company.