How Freja New York Became The Must-Have Brand For Celebrities

Forbes

Fresh off a master’s degree in information science from Cornell, Lei planned to enter consulting. But she felt uncomfortable at job interviews—admittedly because she couldn’t find accessories that made her feel confident. In 2019, she created her dream work tote despite having no formal design training. As she built Freja, she blogged every step of her entrepreneurial journey, from buying her first fabric sample to partnering with a family-owned factory in Guangzhou, China. In 2020, she launched with just 300 bags in inventory. Entirely bootstrapped, Lei has expanded her luxury line of chic minimalist bags (which range in price from $100 to $550) to include purses and weekend travel bags. “I think transparency and authenticity have always been a part of the brand’s DNA,” Lei says. “Even today I share how much our bags cost to make, and people love that.” They’ve quickly become a favorite among both working professionals and A-list celebrities such as Hailey Bieber. Selling direct to consumer, the New York City–based startup earned $5.3 million in revenue in 2023 and projects it will have more than doubled that number in 2024.  Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript  Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com  Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.

Transcript

00:00I think you have to stand for something you can't be for everyone,

00:03but you're going to be the brand for people who really resonate with you.

00:06I think, going back to what I said, you just really need to be authentic.

00:11You have to have a point of view.

00:16Jenny, thank you so much for joining us today.

00:18I'm super excited to talk about all you're building with Fran in New York.

00:21Before we get into all the nitty-gritty, give me a little 30-second rundown

00:24of who you are and what you're building today.

00:26Hi, Alex. Thanks so much for having me.

00:28My name is Jenny.

00:29I was born in China, grew up in the U.S., went to Cornell for college,

00:33and then I graduated without a job twice, not for lack of trying.

00:37But for my last interview that I ever did, I couldn't find a bag

00:41that made me feel really confident walking in,

00:43so obviously didn't get the job, and I started to design Freya instead.

00:47Very cool. What is Freya?

00:49Who is your consumer base?

00:50For someone who's never heard of you, how would you describe the brand?

00:52Freya, I would describe us as –

00:54so we're a New York-based handbag brand for women.

00:57We make functional and very thoughtful pieces

01:00to support women in their everyday endeavors.

01:02So we started with my interpretation of the perfect work bag,

01:06and now we have expanded to shoulder bags, travel.

01:09As you were mentioning, we're applying for jobs in a very different industry.

01:12You're potentially going to be a consultant.

01:14So where does the design inspiration and design background come from?

01:18I don't have a design background.

01:20The thing I kept telling myself was no one was born a designer.

01:24Maybe after I give it a couple years, I can be a designer too.

01:27I think that's why we lean so heavily on the functional aspect

01:30because I'm not an aesthetic designer,

01:32so I can make a bag work the way I want it to

01:35and then build design around that.

01:37What were some of those functions that you definitely wanted to make sure

01:40that Freya could check off for women in their day-to-day life?

01:42Yeah, I wanted it to be really lightweight.

01:45I wanted the straps to fit over big coats.

01:47I know that's a big thing.

01:49Laptops, pockets.

01:50I feel like a lot of bags don't really have that many pockets,

01:53so now I can't use different bags.

01:55I need my pockets, I need the key leash,

01:57and I just want it to feel structured but yet soft for every day.

02:01Yeah, that's super exciting to have this vision that you had in your head

02:05and be able to bring it to life.

02:06But I'm sure that there were so many steps along the way

02:09to ensure that that could happen.

02:10So walk me through the early days of Freya

02:13when you had this idea, you left that interview,

02:15and you did not feel confident coming in.

02:17Having that vision in your mind,

02:19what were the first couple steps that you took

02:21to then start actually building a physical product?

02:23Yeah, first step was I need a bag.

02:26I actually didn't think that far in advance.

02:28I don't really think more than what I need to do next.

02:31So I was like, okay, I need a bag.

02:33How do I do that?

02:34I need materials first.

02:35And so I did research for materials, so we started there.

02:39I wanted to use vegan leather because I'm not personally vegan,

02:43but I thought, you know, I don't have this background.

02:46I don't know how to source.

02:47I don't know how to do anything.

02:49Let me find a material that I can feel confident in,

02:51knowing exactly what went into it.

02:53And it's custom-made for us,

02:54so I know exactly what goes into it and how it's made.

02:57And I feel very comfortable and confident,

02:59like, knowing those things.

03:01You mentioned that you're not an aesthetic designer,

03:03but obviously the bags are, you know,

03:05very cute and very, like, fashion-forward.

03:08How did you fuse your interest

03:10in making it a super functional bag

03:12with making it also something that, like,

03:13women are excited to wear in their everyday life

03:16walking around the streets of New York?

03:19Honestly, I'm surprised that, like,

03:20I feel really grateful that people also like our designs.

03:24I think we always start with functionality,

03:26and I personally am a very minimal person.

03:28Like, I wear the same thing every single day.

03:30I have my uniform.

03:31So I wanted to kind of add that ethos into our brand as well.

03:36So I think everything you'll see, you know,

03:37we don't really do seasonal colors.

03:39We don't really do anything too funky.

03:42It's all pretty minimal and, like, sleek,

03:44and I want it to be classic and timeless.

03:46What's your everyday uniform that you're wearing?

03:49Just an easy top.

03:50I love trousers and, like, a slingback and a Freya bag.

03:52I think it just looks so chic,

03:54and then some earrings and jewelry.

03:55Is there a fashion trend,

03:56especially as you're, like, building this company

03:59and building this brand in the New York fashion landscape,

04:02is there a fashion trend that you're really leaning into,

04:04or are there some trends that you stay away from,

04:06or how do you kind of see the, you know,

04:08constantly evolving trend landscape

04:10as you're building the company?

04:11Yeah, I honestly, um, I don't look at trends

04:14because I think they come and go, right?

04:16Like, everything old is new again.

04:17I would rather just make something

04:19that people can wear all the time,

04:2024-7, 365 days a year, because that's what I do.

04:23Like, I don't really lean into trends,

04:25and I'm not on TikTok.

04:26I think that helps.

04:27So I think, um, yeah, just classic everyday.

04:31I think as I get older, even more so.

04:33Like, there was a time where I dabbled in color

04:35for a couple months,

04:36but now I'm just, like, so true to, like,

04:40what feels right to me.

04:41How do you go about keeping your, like,

04:43true-to-self ethos for a company

04:45that you're building?

04:46Because obviously, like, as a human,

04:48like, we can, you know, be ourselves

04:50in a lot of different ways,

04:51but as you're building a brand, like,

04:52that's for so many different humans then

04:54that, you know, you want to connect with,

04:55and you want to be able to, like you said,

04:57feel confident buying your things

04:59and using your things.

05:00So how do you kind of combine

05:02your true-to-self and the center of yourself

05:05with this company that you want to be able

05:07to kind of be that for other women as well?

05:09Yeah, I think, um, a couple things.

05:11Like, for starters, I started Freya for me.

05:15I didn't start it to become, like,

05:16a really big brand.

05:17I was like, there's a product that I think

05:19needs to exist in the world,

05:20and I'm going to make it.

05:21And if there are other women

05:22who believe the same thing,

05:24I will resonate with them,

05:25and they're going to be our community,

05:26and I'm going to talk to them

05:27in a way that feels really authentic to me,

05:29and that's what attracted them

05:30in the first place.

05:31And then also, I think I built the brand

05:33in a very transparent way.

05:35Like, Freya actually started as a blog

05:37before we had a single bag.

05:38So I had a year when I didn't have

05:40any products, so I just started

05:42documenting everything I would do.

05:43Like, oh, this is how much

05:44our first sample cost.

05:45This is what it looked like.

05:46This is what we're working on now.

05:47And then that kind of turned

05:48into our about page.

05:49Um, so I think transparency

05:51and authenticity has always been

05:52a part of the brand DNA,

05:54and even until today.

05:55Like, I share how much your bags cost

05:57to make, and then people love that.

05:59Yeah.

06:00In terms of building that community,

06:02I feel like community involvement

06:03and community engagement

06:04is such a core, like, importance

06:07to so many startups today

06:08and so many brands.

06:09I want to break through the noise.

06:10And especially saturated industries

06:12like fashion.

06:13How do you go about building

06:14that community now?

06:15Who really are they,

06:17and how are you attempting

06:18to connect with them

06:19on a day-to-day basis?

06:20Yeah.

06:21Um, I think going back

06:23to what I said,

06:24you just really need to be authentic.

06:26You have to have a point of view.

06:28I think you have to stand

06:29for something you can't be

06:30for everyone,

06:31but you're going to be the brand

06:33for people who really resonate

06:34with you.

06:35And for Freya, what that looks like,

06:37I want to do a lot more

06:38community events.

06:39We just threw our first

06:40Open to the Public event,

06:41um, I think two weeks ago,

06:43and it was so amazing,

06:44like, seeing everyone

06:45walk in the door,

06:46everyone was wearing

06:47their Freya bags,

06:48I got to talk to everyone.

06:49And we recently launched

06:50a Freya fund as well,

06:51which is an eight-week boot camp

06:52for, you know, women

06:53who want to start

06:54their own businesses.

06:55So I think Freya, like,

06:56you know, I love bags,

06:58but what I love more

07:00is, like, using Freya

07:02as a jumping-off point,

07:03as a vehicle to do other things.

07:05Like, eventually,

07:06I think Freya,

07:07I want it to stand

07:08for, like, empowerment.

07:10Like, hey, if I could do something,

07:12if I could follow a dream,

07:13so can you.

07:14Yeah, definitely.

07:15Can you tell me a little bit more

07:16about that Freya fund?

07:17I'd love to know who you're

07:18kind of targeting with that

07:19and what the, obviously,

07:20mission behind it is,

07:21but also, like, how you're

07:22bringing those things to life.

07:23What are the activations

07:24and those sorts of things?

07:25Yeah, so this one,

07:26it's been on my mind

07:27for a while.

07:28It's always been something

07:29I wanted to do

07:30because I think, you know,

07:31my life has changed beyond

07:33since starting Freya

07:34in, like, the best way possible,

07:36and I think there's

07:37so many women out there

07:38who have their own ideas,

07:39and, you know,

07:40they might just lack

07:41a little bit of funding

07:43or a little bit of experience

07:44or, honestly, just,

07:45I think what I needed

07:46at the time was, like,

07:47someone to tell me

07:48you're not crazy,

07:49and if an idea feels meaningful to you,

07:51you should go for it.

07:52So I think that's kind of the angle

07:54that we are aiming for.

07:56Like, I'm not an expert in anything.

07:58I'm not going to give advice,

08:00but I think, like,

08:01just to be a source

08:02for women to lean on.

08:03So we officially launched

08:06the program in August,

08:08so we made it live,

08:10and we actually just finalized

08:11our candidates yesterday,

08:13so we'll be reaching out

08:14to everyone,

08:15and then we're going to curate

08:16a eight-week boot camp

08:17based on, like, what they need,

08:19and it's going to be, like,

08:20one-on-one sessions with me,

08:21with the amazing women

08:23in my network,

08:24with my team,

08:25and with each other.

08:26Throughout your journey,

08:28is there, like, a lesson

08:29that you hope to bring into

08:31these meetings that you're having

08:32with these up-and-coming

08:33female founders

08:34or just women interested

08:35in business?

08:36Like, is there something

08:37that you feel like a lot of them

08:38will really resonate with

08:39that you wish you had known

08:40before starting?

08:41I think something,

08:44at least in the beginning,

08:46I think something you really,

08:47really need to hear a lot

08:48is don't overthink it.

08:49I think a lot of women,

08:50they're thinking so many steps ahead

08:52when they don't have a product,

08:54and I'm like, it's okay.

08:55Like, don't worry about that now.

08:57Have the product first,

08:58and then, because future you

08:59is going to know what to do.

09:00Like, you today

09:01is not going to see past,

09:02like, you know, step two,

09:03but you don't need to do that.

09:04So I think just taking

09:05the pressure off

09:06and just doing it

09:07one step at a time.

09:08And just like you want

09:09to be kind of a resource

09:10for, you know, others,

09:12kind of in your shoes

09:13that you were a couple

09:14of years ago,

09:15is there someone in your life

09:16that you feel like without them,

09:17you would not be

09:18where you are today?

09:19Yeah, I have a mentor figure.

09:21I met him,

09:22actually interviewed with a job.

09:24Interviewed with him for a job.

09:26He didn't give me the job,

09:28but he was like,

09:29what ideas do you have?

09:30And I told him my idea

09:31about Freya,

09:32and he was like,

09:33you should do it.

09:34And I don't know,

09:35I think I would have done Freya.

09:37I don't know when I would have,

09:38but he really pushed me to start.

09:40So I started halfway

09:41through grad school,

09:42and I just went full time

09:43with that after.

09:44And knowing that your

09:45potential career path

09:46is going to be something

09:47along the consulting route,

09:49jumping into the

09:50entrepreneurship space

09:51can feel so much less certain,

09:54and just like there's so much

09:55more up in the air

09:56for, you know,

09:57the day-to-day,

09:58but also like what

09:59five years down the road

10:00can look like.

10:01What was your mindset

10:02when you decided

10:03to kind of make that pivot

10:04and go the non-traditional

10:06or just like uncertain route?

10:09Yeah, a couple of things.

10:10Well, I thought I wanted to,

10:12I thought I was supposed

10:13to be a consultant or finance

10:14because that's just like

10:15what everyone did.

10:16It never felt really true to me.

10:17Like I was prepping

10:18for these interviews.

10:19You know,

10:20like when you're kind of

10:21just rehearsing

10:22and you're just,

10:23I don't know,

10:24it just doesn't feel true.

10:25I heard a quote somewhere

10:26and it's really stuck with me.

10:28He said,

10:29if I went down

10:32the consulting path

10:33or the path that I was supposed

10:34to go down,

10:35the chance of me achieving

10:36what I want in life is zero.

10:38But if I did my own thing,

10:40the chance of that is not zero.

10:42So it's actually less risky

10:44to do your own thing.

10:45And that really,

10:46really stuck with me.

10:47And that's like something

10:48I go back to

10:49and think about a lot.

10:50I love that.

10:51What is it that you want to achieve?

10:52Like what was that kind of beacon

10:53that you were going after?

10:54I think I've always,

10:56I've always wanted

10:57to start my own business.

10:58Like I've dabbled

10:59since I was in high school.

11:01I started making money online

11:02in high school,

11:03all throughout college as well,

11:04which is also why I wasn't like

11:06in a rush to get a job.

11:08But yeah,

11:09I really value like being creative,

11:12having freedom.

11:14And then I think

11:16business is a way for you to see

11:18like what you want to see

11:19in the world.

11:20And I want to build Freya

11:22in a,

11:23like as a business

11:24that I would want to see

11:25and support.

11:26What were some of those ventures

11:27that you were embarking

11:28in high school and college

11:29that was earning you some money?

11:30Oh, this is fun.

11:31So in high school,

11:33I got really into cooking

11:35and I was vegan

11:36for a couple of years.

11:37So I started cooking recipes

11:38and I would share them

11:39on Instagram

11:40and I would repost others

11:41and I would share

11:42all their recipes too.

11:43I grew that to 800,000 followers.

11:44Okay.

11:45Started writing eBooks.

11:46So I wrote like recipe eBooks

11:47and I sold those.

11:48So that was my high school.

11:50That like,

11:51that carried me through college

11:52a little bit.

11:53Graduated undergrad,

11:54didn't find a job,

11:55started drop shipping,

11:57made a lot of money doing that.

11:59And then that is how

12:00I got the seed money for Freya.

12:01So it's kind of like

12:02one step after the other.

12:03Yeah.

12:04And then neither of those

12:05panned out.

12:06So especially for Freya,

12:07I was like,

12:08hey, I've built,

12:09I want to say businesses.

12:10I've made money in the past,

12:11but neither was sustainable.

12:13If I'm going to do it again,

12:15if I'm going to invest

12:16all this time and effort into it,

12:17I want it to be for the long term.

12:18So I've always looked at Freya

12:20as a very long term,

12:21like nothing happened

12:22for the first two years.

12:23But then I think like

12:24the last year and a half,

12:25things started getting fun.

12:26Yeah.

12:27But it just takes time.

12:28Yeah.

12:29You've had multiple lives

12:30as a founder or a business person

12:31then from those earlier lives.

12:33What are some like tips or tricks

12:35or things that you want

12:36to maybe avoid

12:37that you're now taking into

12:38building this company

12:39the third time around?

12:40Yeah.

12:41Number one is your customer.

12:44Your customer is number one.

12:45Like they are your everything.

12:46You treat them with,

12:48you know,

12:49they're smart.

12:50Like your customers are smart.

12:51Give them all the information

12:53and then they can make

12:54an informed decision.

12:55But like treat them

12:56with so much respect

12:57because they are your everything.

12:58I think with like,

13:01I was so young, right?

13:02With Instagram, I was like,

13:03oh, let me just sell some ebooks

13:04and I would post ads all the time.

13:06And like that really ruined

13:07the connection with the community.

13:09So I think that's why

13:10I prioritize community so much now

13:12because they're everything.

13:13You mentioned earlier

13:15that you just had your first

13:16like in-person event

13:18for community building.

13:19You're also on social media,

13:20even though you personally

13:21are not on TikTok.

13:22The brand itself is on Instagram.

13:23It's on TikTok.

13:24How are you going about

13:25kind of walking the line

13:27of the digital world

13:28but also the like in-person world

13:31when it comes to

13:32promoting the company

13:33and finding new experiences

13:34to connect with your customers?

13:36Yeah, I think our digital strategy,

13:38because most people

13:39will find us through Instagram

13:40or through friends

13:41or an influencer.

13:42I think that strategy

13:44is a bit different

13:45from the in-person.

13:47So digital, I want to be like,

13:50I don't know,

13:51like inspirational,

13:53like cool design, sleek.

13:55I think that's how people find us.

13:57And then once they're in,

13:58they get my newsletters every week.

14:00They're kind of like

14:01buying into the Freya brand.

14:02They get invited to these events.

14:04They can meet me.

14:05Like I have my email on the website.

14:06Like anyone can reach me.

14:07I'll reply.

14:08So I think you're drawn in

14:11in social media

14:12and then we can translate that

14:13into something deeper offline.

14:16Do you have a social media strategy

14:17that you feel like has really worked

14:18in terms of whether

14:19that's like getting influencers

14:20to come on board

14:21or just customers

14:22to find you online?

14:24Social media,

14:25we do a lot of UGCs.

14:26We repost a lot of our customers.

14:28We have like a Friday favorites

14:29where we just post

14:30all of our customers.

14:31We share everything.

14:32I think for me,

14:33like I don't want our social media

14:34to be super polished.

14:36I don't want to be

14:37like everyone else.

14:38Also, it's hard to do

14:39like polished content all the time.

14:40I just want to share.

14:42I want to like be in my kitchen

14:43and film a video

14:44and then post it.

14:45And that's kind of what we do.

14:46And I think it resonates with people.

14:48Like we share

14:49a lot of behind the scenes.

14:50Like I'll be sharing

14:51behind the scenes

14:52of this experience.

14:53I think that's our,

14:54that's our not strategy strategy.

14:57Yeah.

14:58Has there been a moment

14:59throughout this journey

15:00that you feel like you have

15:01like your I made it moment?

15:03I know that some celebrities

15:04have been seen wearing Freya.

15:05You know,

15:06you've kind of grown in that space.

15:07But has there been one moment

15:08where you're like,

15:09I really have come so far.

15:10I'm really,

15:11I'm really doing this on my own.

15:13Every time I see someone

15:14wearing a Freya bag

15:15on the street in New York,

15:16I used to run up to them.

15:17Oh, really?

15:18Yeah.

15:19I don't do that as much now,

15:20but I'll like snap a picture of you

15:22from behind or like sneakily.

15:25I have a folder

15:26called Freya sightings.

15:27I love it.

15:28How many have you seen?

15:29I think like over a hundred.

15:31Okay.

15:32And does it mean more to you

15:33to see like random people

15:34on the street,

15:35to see these celebrities wearing it?

15:36Random people.

15:37Okay.

15:38No, not random people,

15:39just like women that,

15:40you know,

15:41we didn't gift or,

15:42you know,

15:43because they bought into the story.

15:45Like something about Freya

15:46resonated with them.

15:47They chose to spend their money on us.

15:49Like there's so many backgrounds,

15:50but somehow like they,

15:52they're like,

15:53I want to support you.

15:54So like that means everything to me.

15:56What do you think is the future

15:57of the fashion and art

15:58and style space in general?

15:59Like I said at the beginning

16:00and kind of like you mentioned there,

16:02like there are so many brands out there.

16:04How do you see the future shaping up?

16:06What are you kind of preparing for

16:08as you hopefully make your way

16:09into that future?

16:11I think having a really,

16:12really unique brand and point of view.

16:15Like I don't think brands need to get really big.

16:18Like my goal is not to be really big.

16:19And I think like in the past

16:23would be like mega brands, right?

16:24The Abercrombie's and the Hollister's

16:26and everyone knew them.

16:27But I think you don't need to grow

16:30to that,

16:31be that big to be successful.

16:33Like I,

16:34I measure success in,

16:35hey, we have a community

16:36that really,

16:37really,

16:38really loves our products.

16:39And that's fine.

16:40We can just keep serving them.

16:41And I feel like I just want everything

16:42to be very,

16:43very organic.

16:44It's never like a salesy,

16:46pushy tactic.

16:47It's always like a,

16:48let's pull you in,

16:49let's draw you in based on what we're doing.

16:51And we'll just find the people

16:52that are meant to be.

16:53And I just want it to be very organic.

16:56Yeah.

16:57And if it's not to be the next Abercrombie,

16:59what are some goals that you have with Freya?

17:01With Freya,

17:02I really want to do more philanthropy,

17:05like with the Freya Fund.

17:06I want to partner with colleges

17:08and I want to partner with nonprofits.

17:10You know,

17:11there's nonprofits that donate clothing

17:13to women for interviews

17:14or like just,

17:15you know,

17:16more professional clothing

17:17to give them a leg up

17:18or some confidence.

17:19And I feel like that,

17:20that really calls to me.

17:21And I feel like that's something we could do.

17:23And it feels really full circle

17:24because like Freya,

17:25we make bags to support women.

17:27And then by supporting us,

17:29we're funneling that

17:30into supporting other women's dreams.

17:32I feel like that just feels very,

17:34very good to me.

17:35Yeah.

17:36It seems like a lot of what you're doing

17:37is very like impact driven.

17:38I mean,

17:39you're at the core of the company

17:40just being like,

17:41we need something that we can wear

17:42to work or to an interview

17:43all the way to the Freya Fund

17:45and supporting others along the way.

17:47What do you want your impact to be

17:49or what do you want your legacy to be

17:51with this brand?

17:52I want Freya to represent opportunity.

17:58I want it to be like,

17:59hey,

18:00you can do whatever you want.

18:02I did it.

18:03And so can you.

18:04Yeah.

18:05I think that's,

18:06that's the message.

18:07That's super special.

18:08Female founders or women in general

18:10are always looking for a message like that.

18:12And it like doesn't have to be a big idea.

18:14Like I just do bags.

18:15It doesn't have to be big or small.

18:17I feel like as long as it feels meaningfully,

18:19meaningful to you,

18:20like that's,

18:21that's what matters.

18:22Yeah.

18:23Being under 30 years old,

18:24being a founder,

18:25the young founder space is really difficult.

18:27You know,

18:28so many people have so much more experience

18:29than maybe those our age,

18:31but we come at it with such a unique vision

18:33and your,

18:34you know,

18:35experience and something that you really wanted

18:36to bring to the world.

18:37And I'm sure that there are many benefits

18:38to being under 30 years old as well.

18:40So what does that youth and that,

18:42you know,

18:43under 30 kind of category mean to you?

18:45I think it allows me to connect with,

18:48you know,

18:49our,

18:50our customer,

18:51our customer is me.

18:52Honestly,

18:53like I wrote,

18:54I wrote a customer persona.

18:55I sent it to all my friends.

18:56They're like,

18:57Johnny,

18:58this was you.

18:59Yeah.

19:00So like being under 30 and connecting

19:01with the under 30 community,

19:05like it's,

19:06it's a lot easier because I know how to speak

19:07to them.

19:08I know how to reach them.

19:09Cause,

19:10and I know how they want to be sold to.

19:11They don't want to be sold to.

19:12Do you have any predictions of what the fashion

19:15and art and style industry is going to look like

19:17within the next couple of months or years?

19:19Okay.

19:20Not art and style or fashion,

19:21but like,

19:22I can talk about bags.

19:23Yes.

19:24That's my realm.

19:25I think bigger bags are urban,

19:27like micro bags are,

19:28we're done with those.

19:29So bigger bags.

19:30And then also suede is coming back in a really big way.

19:32And I think like burgundy is like deep,

19:35deep reds.

19:36And we might be doing some of that soon.

19:38Very cool.

19:39How much do you take like those project

19:41projections that you have in predictions of the future

19:43when you're deciding like what to build,

19:45how far out do you look,

19:46how far in advance are you kind of like thinking

19:48about those things?

19:49Very loosely.

19:50Okay.

19:51And we're always behind.

19:52Okay.

19:53Are you attempting to stay ahead of the curve

19:54or do you follow,

19:55you know,

19:56what your customers are asking you for?

19:57How do you kind of find that,

19:59that fine line there?

20:00Yeah.

20:01It's,

20:02a lot of it is like,

20:03we don't do many,

20:04many trends,

20:05but if there's a trend that I'm like,

20:06okay,

20:07I think this could be a classic,

20:08I would follow that.

20:09And we take into account all of our customer requests.

20:11Like we have a spreadsheet that documents like what,

20:14how many times everything has been requested.

20:16And I'll always refer it back to that when designing.

20:18Well,

20:19that's super exciting.

20:20I cannot wait to see what you do.

20:21Thanks so much for sitting down with me today.

20:22Thank you,

20:23Alex.

20:34Bye.

20:35Bye.

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21:02Bye.

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