17 VIRGIN AUSTRALIA 139
EXEC STYLE
This Time
it’s Personal
Wo rd s
DAN F STAPLETONA leather-goods
company that ofers
infinite customisation.S
ome entrepreneurial
fashion designers spend
decades campaigning for
floor space in the hallowed halls
of Selfridges in London and
Bloomingdale’s in New York,
but Mon Purse founder Lana
Hopkins has conquered both
stores in less than two years.
The Sydney-based CEO
launched her customisable-bag
business in early 2015 and has
been ‘blown away’ by its success.
Mon Purse uses a state-of-the-
art 3D bag builder that allows its
in-store and online customers
to select options such as leather
colour, texture, interior lining
and premium hardware.
The pieces are noticeably
luxurious, with fine detailing and
a rich aroma of leather. As a final
bespoke touch, the leather goods
can also be monogrammed.
The inspiration first came to
Hopkins in 2014 when she was
at a Sydney shopping centre in
search of a new leather bag. “I
just wasn’t wowed by anything
on offer,” she explains.Later that day, Hopkins
purchased a customised teddy
bear as a gift, and the idea for
Mon Purse formed. Within a
year, she had secured investor
funding and begun producti
Hopkins says the time is
right for customisable luxur
accessories. “We’re moving
from mass production in all
areas,” she says. “We can no
customise our Spotify playli
or build the perfect salad.”
There is also a growing
demand for so-called ‘quiet
luxury’. “Back in the day, yo
would see leather bags with
their logos splashed all over
front,” Hopkins says. “Now,
all about less, less, less.”
The founder puts
Mon Purse’s rapid success
down to word-of-mouth
promotion, driven
by ‘prosumerism’.
“Consumers who are
involved in the production
process become more attach
to the finished product,” she
says. http://www.monpurse.com.CLOCKWISE
FROM LEFT Mon
Purse founder
Lana Hopkins; a
leather tag; and
a monogrammed
wallet; a few of
the many possible
designs on display.20tor
ion.
s
ry
away
l
ow
istsu
h
r the
it’shed
e