When it comes to our bags, we want something that works with our lifestyle and allows us to go from one place to the next. We love having elements on our bags that make our day that much easier.

We sat down with Founder and Creative Dir. of luxury handbag brand, OLEADA, Tiffany Zhou to talk about how she engineered these bags, the power of putting our products that mean something to those who wear it, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to becoming the Founder and Creative Designer for OLEADA, you worked in finance. What led you to design?

TIFFANY ZHOU: I definitely want to start something by myself. I wanted to be reasonable and rational about my decision because I do have another lens that understands the business from an investor perspective. I think as a female founder, we do have a natural instinct about how to build up a brand and how to resonate with a client. That’s why when I started, I compiled information and felt that doing a consumer product and onw that contributed back to where I was from as a professional woman.

In thinking about this I have a personal story. One of the moments that makes me think about why I went out on my own and started this business was over hearing my manager who was talking to my boss. I had just finished a nice financial model for a lease code that we were going to acquire. He said that I had done a great job, but that I was just a 28 year old girl. That let me rethink about who I was going to be and how I would be in the financial industry. I then reviewed myself and realized what I would have to do to get to where my male counterparts were who were my teammates. So I thought, why not put it into myself?

AM: Coming into this industry from finance, but being trained as an engineer, how did the engineering aspect inform how you went about designing these bags?

TZ: I don’t design the bags, I engineer them! I really lean into engineering when it comes to product design – which is called design thinking. When I am working on them, I’m trying to solve the real world problems, analyze what is being required in the marketplace, and to do prototypes that all the stakeholders – not just the design team, but customer service, and other members. Once you have created a prototype, you launch it to your base to get that feedback and you use what you learned to inform that design. That is what we are doing at OLEADA.

The Wavia Bag was my first design that I launched 6 years ago. When you look at the first bag that was designed, you can see how it evolved to be the bag that we have on the shelf now. There were so many details that were upgraded – the panel, cutting, etc. We had more than 25 small upgrades – the handle and its length or should another pocket be added to the back? So that is why I feel that I don’t design, I engineer these bags.

AM: What would you say is the ethos of the brand?

TZ: So when I started the brand, my last job was a banker, I was a professional woman. So that’s why the brand that I built up is a work style brand.

AM: Right.

TZ: I call it a work style in a way. It is for work, but it’s also stylish so that you can conquer your day, enter into the room, and feel confident. That feeling and sentiment is emphasized through our brand ambassadors, influencers, and our social media. As time went on, I started to realize that our life is more than work.

What is next? That is where AnyWear came from. It’s like, OLEADA. The work style is how you represent yourself in the room, then AnyWear is helping you to move in between the rooms. This part of the brand is an experience in this work/life aesthetic. Once you leave work, you go to the tennis court or maybe you go to the gym. It’s the combination of that kind of functionality we really want to offer to this market.

AM: What is your process when it comes to creating new styles and deciding about colorways, whether they’re your core colorways or new hues?

TZ: I like to reverse engineer everything. Most handbag designers when they are creating a bag, they may focus on a category such as a tote bag or a backpack.

I start from the experience. I think about people who are leaving their apartment, when they are getting back, and what happens in between. When you look at AnyWear, I am looking at someone who has a portfolio career. They are going out, going to a coffee shop,meeting a client, playing tennis, etc.

So in my design process, I am watching people. You learn a lot when you people watch. You see them and how they interact with the world.

AM: in terms of work bags, what would be 3 that you suggest should be in our collections?

TZ: I definitely love a tote because it’s so easy to use! Our Marina Tote that we just launched this year is very easy to carry and is an easy going bag.If you travel a lot, I would definitely suggest the Marina Carryall. You can wear it as a backpack.

AM: Seeing AnyWhere at the Accessory Council event and then again at your brunch at The Ned, it’s a great series of items that is travel and active lifestyle. When did you realize that you wanted to bring this portion of the brand forward?

TZ: I liked the concept that with these bags, you could go anywhere in order to have experiences that are within your life outside of work.

AM: What are 3 AnyWear bags that we should have on our radar?

TZ: I do love the Tennis Backpack. It’s not just a tennis bag, but for those that are hitting the tennis court, you don’t need to carry multiple bags – this allows it all to be in one! The Any Duffle is also an interesting item. The fabric is crease-free so when you are not using it, you can fold it into your suitcase. Once you get to your location, you can use it to go shopping and the bag can expand.

AM: There has been a lot of talk about quiet luxury. In preparation for speaking to you, I know that you believe in the concept of practical luxury. Can you talk about this concept and how it works within your brand’s ecosystem?

TZ: I actually think the new luxury is utility. It’s a functionality. Whatever works for you should be something you should cherish. That is where we want to be no matter if we are talking about OLEADA or AnyWear. I want people to have this type of feeling when they open the bag! Those who wear it didn’t realize that they needed this pocket or a strap.

It is important to me that our bags are engineered to be functional. They can carry your devices and the bags have great craftsmanship.

AM: You’re currently finalizing your showroom in NoMad and it’s one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. There is an energy in this area, a number of amazing eateries, fitness studios etc. Why did you opt to be here as opposed to the West Village or Tribeca?

TZ: Like you said, I really love the energy of NoMad and I think it is really good for OLEADA. The brand really stands for someone who appreciates good quality, but also needs a number of aesthetics. I love that NoMad has a lot of artists, builders, and professionals which is literally our audience. Being on the street and as much as I love people watching, I feel that I can see what is trending and it’s a great way for me to keep inspired!

AM: Since I connected with your brand, you have done a number of events during the Spring/Summer here in the city, trunk shows, and being in the Hamptons.

Are there any upcoming events that you would like our readers to know about?

TZ: We collabed with this amazing non-profit organization called RaiseFashion. I think you know about that. And they are doing a full-day trunk show open to the public on the 11th of September during NYFW. I’d love to send an invitation to all the readers if you want to check out the products and experience OLEADA.

So we are building our studio and we have a TikTok series about creating a New York City fashion studio from scratch. Hopefully, I can get it done by the end of September and we can open it to the public by appointment in October. We’re looking at doing a panel event or something for the holidays.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | OLEADA