We just lately sat down with Natacha Seroussi, half of the father-daughter workforce behind Bobobark, to debate crowdfunding, purse design, and the household enterprise.
When most individuals hear “haute-design purse from Paris,” many issues come to thoughts. Style-forward? Mais oui! Stylish? Bien sûr, c’est necessaire! Luxurious? De rigueur!
However vegan? Ce n’est pas regular.
Father-daugher workforce Elie and Natacha Seroussi are altering that with their Bobobark purse, which substitutes animal-based supplies with cork and different sustainable materials. They’ve raised over $2 million through crowdfunding and are solely getting began.
We caught up with Natacha in a latest Q&A to debate crowdfunding, the household enterprise, and consuming wine within the Burgundy area of France. Right here’s what we found.
So how did all of it start? How did you turn into a household enterprise?
Properly, my dad’s been within the trend and purse business for over 30 years, so I’ve at all times been in that surroundings. I actually grew up in an atelier as a toddler, and I’ve been taking part in with materials and supplies for so long as I can keep in mind.
Then after I grew up, I went in a unique route. I received into horses – horse driving, horse coaching. I even received my diploma to turn into an expert horse coach. I additionally studied fantastic artwork, in order a younger grownup, I used to be enthusiastic about artwork, my work, and my horses. I by no means thought I’d be within the household enterprise.
Then in the future my dad got here to me and stated, “You’re an artist. Why don’t you come work with me?” I resisted for a very long time due to my different passions — horses and artwork — however after faculty I used to be additionally form of broke, and everyone knows how that goes. I began working with him actually as a result of I wanted to generate profits!
I don’t know why, however I at all times thought trend was this shallow factor, one thing for superficial women. However after I received into it, actually began working in it, I noticed, no! Style is simply artwork! You may make an announcement with trend, the identical method you may with some other inventive medium.
So it seems that my dad was proper, that I’m an artist and that the household enterprise goes fairly nicely with my passions.
Bobobark is a 100% vegan product, proper?
It’s. Artwork is one in all my passions, however so is my love of animals. My dad’s conventional luggage had been amazingly lovely, however they had been leather-based. I at all times thought, however what in regards to the animals? What in regards to the surroundings? I owe quite a bit to my dad as a result of even after working with leather-based for 30 years, he stated, let’s go for it. Let’s strive vegan supplies. And that’s how Bobobark was born.
What’s the story behind the title Bobobark?
So, bobo in French is brief for bourgeois-bohème. It refers to people who find themselves bougie however bohemian — half hippie, half fancy. It’s form of just like the ancestor of the hipster. And it’s form of a joke in Paris. “Hey, you’re bobo, I’m bobo, that’s so bobo.” Then you definately put it with the bark of a tree, as a result of our luggage are made from cork, you get Bobobark.
Let’s speak in regards to the Bobobark purse itself. What makes it completely different?
When me and my dad set out designing Bobobark, we began by asking a easy query: How do you create a bag that solutions girls’s wants daily, and the way do you do it sustainably?
Probably the most sustainable bag is the one you don’t want to exchange. And why wouldn’t you want to substitute it? As a result of it’s good high quality and since it’s versatile. So we needed to make the right purse. If you want a purse, it’s right here for you. If you want a backpack, it’s right here for you. If you want a briefcase, it’s right here for you. So the thought was to have a bag that might be all-in-one, and it might be one thing that’s elegant and stylish regardless that it’s a backpack, not some huge Notre Dame hunchback kind factor.
How did this affect the design?
Design-wise, the inspiration for Bobobark comes from classic purses. It’s a really traditional French model. I really like the design as a result of it’s so timeless.
After we determined to do a vegan bag, I began experimenting with different supplies. To start with I used to be working with oilcloth, which didn’t work too nicely, and I even tried some polyurethane fake leathers, however that isn’t environmentally pleasant, in order that didn’t actually repair something.
Then I had the thought to make use of cork. It’s pure, it’s sturdy, and it’s lovely. It form of simply clicked.
However the factor that makes Bobobark really distinctive is the way it closes. The clasp, that’s what offers Bobobark its last contact. Once I was designing the bag, I needed it to be stylish, enjoyable, classic, and trendy all on the identical time. It’s a troublesome downside to unravel. I keep in mind I used to be at an enormous commerce present in New York, and I noticed these older, fashionable girls carrying luggage with that huge, iconic clasp, that old-style clasp. And I used to be like, wow, that is it. This might be so cool on a backpack. And we tried it, and it labored. After which it grew to become form of like our identification. This huge brass clasp nearly appears like a chunk of knickknack. And all of it made sense as a result of my dad received his begin within the jewellery world initially. So all of it made sense.
And the remaining is historical past?
No, by no means! At first, Bobobark was an enormous failure! It was horrible. For 2 years, it was actually, actually exhausting. In hindsight, it is smart as a result of we had been missing a full workforce. I’m the designer. My dad is the manufacturing man, and he manages our Paris retailer. However we nonetheless wanted a pc man.
So we introduced in a good friend of mine who’s actually good with tech. He constructed us a web page, and issues began to circulation higher. Then we had a advertising and marketing man assist us out who prompt crowdfunding, then bam! It’s simply occurred. After two years of nothing, it simply occurred.
What occurred when your crowdfunding marketing campaign went dwell?
It went from zero to sixty in a single second! It was loopy. It was fully loopy. It was really insane. The primary day we launched, I keep in mind sitting there considering, what is that this?! What’s occurring? I used to be so shocked, and naturally my dad too. Truthfully, we weren’t ready for it. It was that massive.
The entire expertise was so stunning. Particularly how trustworthy and clear our backers have been. Individuals actually need to turn into concerned in your mission. They actually care. I used to be shocked with all the pieces that occurred — shocked by how concerned the neighborhood is, shocked by how supportive persons are, shocked by how trustworthy everyone seems to be.
Probably the most unimaginable a part of it’s that persons are truly backing you. They don’t care about getting the product straight away. They need to help your imaginative and prescient. They do it as a result of they consider in you.
How has it been working with the backer neighborhood?
Working with all of the backers has been past cool. I’ve discovered a lot from them. Their honesty is value all the pieces. They are saying what they need to say. “Hey, I really like your design, however you recognize what? This different factor could be an incredible concept.” I’ve discovered quite a bit from them.
They usually’re additionally so dynamic, enthusiastic, and supportive. After all, they are often horrible generally. I’ve had some people who had been overly harsh, however total our backers are there for us. They are surely a neighborhood.
Our backers are trustworthy. They’re supportive. They’re optimistic. They’re energetic. They’ve nice suggestions. They’re full of fine vibes. And actual vibes. It’s infectious. It doesn’t matter if I get 100 emails a day, I’m going to reply these 100 emails.
What about working together with your dad? What sort of working relationship do you could have?
It’s actually fantastic. I actually take pleasure in it. To start with, once we began working collectively, we undoubtedly had some battle, and it took a while to adapt. However we work rather well collectively as a workforce. He’s given me lots of room to provide you with my very own concepts. He’s by no means patronizing and is at all times listening.
I’m actually fortunate as a result of working with household can put you able the place you’re feeling such as you didn’t earn it – that you just’re simply there since you had been the kid of the one who created the enterprise. And he hasn’t finished that in any respect. He put me to work like anybody else. He definitely didn’t make it simpler for me, and he taught me a lot within the course of.
He’s given me lots of religious steerage alongside the best way too. In any case, it’s that form of religious steerage that means that you can carry artistic initiatives into existence. He’s at all times given me the room to develop as a designer and to develop as an entrepreneur.
What about your dad? What does he consider all this?
He’s in Burgundy proper now, most likely consuming wine within the sunshine, poor man. However he needed me to share a few of his ideas with you. He stated that for him Bobobark is essential as a result of he felt that he may go on his data and his occupation to his daughter and really feel like there may be continuity in what he’s been doing his entire life. He’s very proud that he can go on his experience and adapt by being eco-friendly and vegan, which has been a change. It was exhausting for him to start with, however he realized that that is the world we dwell in now. And he’s proud to have the ability to go his data on into the long run.
He additionally needed to share that he’s very completely happy that we now have a brand new retailer dedicated to Bobobark. This can be a very huge deal for him. Having a bodily place on the earth is essential, particularly when the world is getting so digital. He’s very proud that we maintain true to our values — that we’re a family-owned retailer and that individuals can come to a bodily place and see us and meet us. Regardless of how digital and the way loopy the world is in the present day we now have this retailer. We’re household. We work there on daily basis.
What does the long run maintain for Bobobark?
I’m at all times engaged on a thousand completely different designs. I’ve one thing like seven designs which are in play proper now, and I’ve lots of issues that might be alternatives sooner or later. And I’ve one specifically that you just possibly, possibly will see out there quickly. However that’s a shock. Don’t inform anyone!
Additionally, our storefront is a large deal for us. Till just lately, it was principally our leather-based luggage. And now due to Bobobark, we determined to make it 100% Bobobark. All of the leather-based luggage are gone. It’s 100% environmentally pleasant, it’s 100% vegan. That’s very thrilling. And there’s a entire new assortment that’s out there within the retailer proper now. It’s not out there on-line but, but it surely probably can be sooner or later. However on the finish of the day, we’re nonetheless a Parisian boutique. We keep true to our Parisian roots.
Anything you’d like so as to add about your expertise with Indiegogo?
Sure! It’s all in regards to the neighborhood. It’s loopy that even with all of the delays with corona, persons are nonetheless like, “Yeah! We nonetheless help you. It’s fantastic.” Some folks have been ready for the luggage for six months, and so they’re identical to, “Yeah, I didn’t I didn’t help you as a result of I needed the luggage. I supported you as a result of I believed in your mission.” And that’s wonderful. It’s such an exquisite instance of neighborhood work and other people coming collectively.
Ultimately, we’re an ideal instance of simply random folks developing with a mission after which crowdfunding making it occur. Now we’re a model.This was simply an concept for me, utilizing my father’s background and idea then making it vegan and sustainable. It occurred 100% due to crowdfunding. This may increasingly sound form of lame, however I’m going to say it anyway: Crowdfunding, finished the precise method, truly makes goals come true.
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