Interview With Sustainable Handbag Designer Esin Akan

How would you describe the Esin Akan customer?
“She is a confident, independent, and courageous woman who loves to enjoy life. She is financially independent, works hard, and plays hard. She values her family and friends. She is interested in travel, art, shopping, business, investment, trends, fashion, and food. She loves exploring, traveling, and enjoying herself at any point. She is a sensible shopper who likes to award herself with life’s luxuries. She values authentic brands and unique, timeless designs. She loves to explore fashion brands and trends and appreciates quality over quantity. She cares about sustainability, how things are made, and the brands’ contribution to our planet.”

What did you feel was missing in the handbag space that led you to launch Esin Akan?
“When I started working for Anya Hindmarch, I looked for a bag in my new boss’s range to impress her. I needed a bag suitable for work, gym, and an evening out. None of the bags suited my needs for a weekday. A day started at the gym, continued at the office, and ended with my girlfriends at a cocktail bar in Central London. Most bags I found in the market were too small or too big, too functional but not aesthetically pleasing, logo-focused but not necessarily high quality, and too expensive. I thought women deserved better — a light bag that accommodates everyday essentials in an organized way that looks cool and unique and adapts to multiple occasions. A high-quality bag without the designer bag price tag. A bag designed around the lifestyle of an urban woman, but not only in trends. That’s how the seeds of my own handbag line and brand were planted.”