According to founder Coral Chung, Senreve means “sense” and “dream” in French, and it reflects the brand’s philosophy of “balancing tradition and innovation, beauty and versatility, fantasy and everyday.”

The Maestra — one of Senreve’s most recognisable styles — epitomes this. A versatile bag that marries style and function, it can be carried as a cross-body, satchel, backpack or tote.

Since its inception in 2016, Senreve has gained a global following that includes Hollywood celebrities like Emma Roberts and Priyanka Chopra, Chinese actress and Senreve ambassador Zhu Zhu, as well as street-style stars Jane Chuck and Andrea Chong, to name a few.

No offense, but some of us are just not into obvious labels and in-your-face logos.

Paulina Liffner von Sydow, founder of Stockholm-based Little Liffner, is one who prefers more muted and minimalist designs. In fact, it was exactly what inspired her to start the brand in 2012. “I wanted to make no-logo bags for confident women with no need or desire to show off labels,” she says.

The result: a covetable collection of contemporary yet classic-looking bags that don’t chase after trends, while boasting modern Scandinavian style and fine Italian craftsmanship. Minimalist dressers will find it hard to resist Little Liffner’s no-fuss and straightforward designs that offer a forever appeal and “can live over trends and seasons”.

Find out more about Little Liffner here.

Before she started her label Neous, Vanissa Antonious cut her teeth as a fashion stylist at fashion magazines in London and Australia. It was then that she realised how women’s shoes and bags were mostly “thin stilettos and overly feminine”, making it tough for women to wear on an everyday basis.

As a result, she started her own accessories label in 2017. “I was passionate about creating footwear and handbags with a minimalist aesthetic, yet extremely wearable,” she tells us. Today, Neous is known for its sculptural bags and shoes that appeal to those whose style mantra is “less is more”.

Quality and affordability are two other key considerations at Neous, and Vanissa aims to strike a balance between those two. “Coming from a luxury magazine background, I wanted to ensure that we could offer a very special product and an [accessible] designer price point,” she shares.

Find out more about Neous here.

Founded by friends Brigitte MacGowan and Desley Maidment, the name State of Escape was inspired by the duo’s love of travel, and drive to explore and discover wondrous escapes.

“Our designs are timeless, bold and beautiful,” Desley shares. “We pride ourselves on refined craftsmanship, with all our collections continuing to be made locally in Australia after eight years. The beauty is in the simplicity.”

The brand’s signature Escape tote, for instance, is famous for its lightweight build as well as uncomplicated design, making it compatible with any outfit. It also offers generous storage space, allowing its wearer to bring it to work, gym or grocery store.

Established in 2017, S.Joon is inspired by Sahar Asvandir’s love for vintage handbags. Its designs feature contemporary and sculptural shapes, making them distinctive pieces that stand out from the crowd.

Her designs have caught the attention of Net-a-porter. In 2020, S.Joon was selected as one of the four brands to join the luxury e-retailer’s designer mentorship programme The Vanguard, paving the way for the young brand’s success.

The bags are made using quality Italian leather and constructed by expert artisans in Italy. As part of her company’s ongoing sustainability efforts, Sahar aims to prevent excess stock. She shares: “Our factory is now zero carbon emissions, we have designed previous collections with only deadstock leather, and continue to do this as much as possible.”

Founder Jacey Chae believes that all women are “multi-layered and complex”, and wanted her brand name to reflect that. “Biker sounds rough and edgy, while starlet is elegant and feminine,” she says. “These two contrasting concepts clash with each other and it just seemed perfect.”

One look at Biker Starlet bags and you’ll notice that they are all striking, but never over the top. Jacey says she digs through old trends and styles to “translate the old into the new, because trends run themselves over and over again.” Her polished and practical pieces have been spotted in K-dramas including Hometown Cha Cha Cha, and even films like the award-winning Parasite.

One of Boyy’s most iconic and widely recognisable collections is the Buckle line, launched in 2015. Founders Jesse Dorsey and Wannasiri Kongman wanted to create a series of classic bags that pushed the envelope by redefining how a timeless design should look.

The result: a slew of playful yet graceful bags accented by oversized buckles and belts. The Buckle has since been spotted on celebs and street-style darlings such as Jennifer Lopez, Margaret Zhang and more.

“We’ve always wanted to put a twist on things and to do things our own way,” shares Jesse. “We don’t conform to a specific label or system.”

Founder Naza Yousefi’s passion and fascination for design began at a young age. As a child growing up in Iran, Naza had always loved sketching. Her love for arts and design continued into her adult years, and she moved to London to study fashion.

After graduating in 2008, she went on to hone her skills at the studios of Christopher Kane and Richard Nicoll, before starting her brand in 2016. According to Naza, she makes a conscious effort to create bags that are as timeless as possible, as part of her ongoing efforts to incorporate sustainability into her business.

Some of its hottest styles include the Woven basket, Loaf and Doris –  which are sure to turn heads with their Insta-worthy silhouettes. Actresses Priyanka Chopra and Lucy Hale, as well as the street-style set including Chriselle Lim and Molly Chiang, are some of the famous faces who are smitten with Yuzefi bags.

Text: Hayden Ng/HerWorld

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