About a week ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with my good friend Laura. We got caught up on life and I learned more about her new and exciting journey as an international business owner. Curious to learn a little bit more about Laura and her new and exciting brand Vogelle? Read on!
- Meet Laura
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Laura is a 22 year old senior at The University of Colorado Boulder, where she is studying finance and marketing. As of February 5th, 2020 Laura became an international businesswoman. Here is how her story began.
From January to June 2019, Laura studied abroad in Milan, Italy, where she lived next to a motorcycle repair shop. The men who worked at the motorcycle repair shop made leather jackets and fixed leather seats from leather scraps provided by manufacturers around the area. After spending some time at the shop and sharing her ideas, the men took Laura to a few ateliers and introduced her to different manufacturers in the area. One of their adventures took them to a manufacturer just between Milan and Lake Como. This is where the Vogelle handbag was born.
- Meet Vogelle
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After having the name trademarked for about two years and wanting to one day own her own brand, Laura began to experiment with clothing but felt it wasn’t the match she envisioned for Vogelle.
After her exchange program in spring 2019, having the opportunity pretty much fall into her lap allowed her handbag visions to become a reality. Laura kept in touch with the manufacturer she met between Milan and Lake Como and sent him samples, drawings, and dimensions in the hopes that he could bring her ideas to life.
- Did You Have Any Difficulties Getting Started?
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Laura explained, “When starting a business, you have to go through a lot of legal work like your business registration, international taxes, and customs. Customs was the worst part.” While Laura had a lot saved up to get everything started, she had to take on extra shifts working at Nordstrom to cover the cost of getting everything done.
- What was Your Favorite Part of Production?
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Laura said that her manufacturer is a “really amazing Italian guy and my ideal person to work with.” Laura also said, “The creativity of creating something with someone who creates things for Gucci and Versace was like no other.” She could have just gone down a more wholesale route, but putting money and time into this avenue has helped her to build a better relationship with her manufacturer.
- What was your inspiration for the design?
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After living in Europe, Laura noticed that all of the trends come to the States one to two years after they’ve gone big in Europe. The design for her baguette bag is inspired by safety and durability. It helps to limit pickpocketing, which is a serious problem. Laura says that the number one trend is being hands free. Since security and quality were also two big factors, Laura opted for a leather which has a saffiano texture. This helps the bag to not only be durable but easier to clean. Her design also features a front facing zipper to help limit the chance of pickpocketing.
- How Has This Opportunity Changed Your Life?
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Laura says that this opportunity has opened doors for future jobs and even has her questioning whether she wants to go with the flow or graduate to find a full time job. It has always been a dream of Laura’s to become an international businesswoman, and at 21, starting that is a really amazing accomplishment. Laura said, “Realizing my dream has helped me see that doing what you want is a matter of taking the leap, having confidence and perseverance.”
- What’s Next for Vogelle?
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“Yes, more is coming and I’m looking into cardholders that would pair well with the current handbag,” she explained. Laura also hopes to do some pop-up shops in the coming months and in the future, work on a retail partnership.
Come meet Laura this weekend at the Her Campus Fashion Show! Find all the details on our Instagram. Can’t make it this weekend? No worries, check out Vogelle on Instagram or at www.vogelle.com
XOXO- Michaela