The premium travel accessories market was fragmented between ultra-utilitarian brands and fashion houses with no functional credibility. Nobody owned the intersection of luxury and genuine utility — so I built it.
The Research
Category gap analysis
Mapped 120+ brands by price point, material quality, audience, and channel strategy. Conducted customer interviews to validate the white space before committing to product development.
Product Development
From concept to shelf
Led end-to-end product development — original concept, CAD specs, manufacturing partner evaluation across 3 countries, negotiation, quality control, and DTC launch. Zero to one, solo.
Brand & GTM
Narrative built from research up
Defined the brand narrative, customer experience strategy, and pricing architecture from customer insight and competitive research. Positioned at the intersection of luxury and utility for the modern traveler.
Results
Revenue + recognition
$125,000 in lifetime sales, 70% gross margin, 13% repeat purchase rate — and national recognition for product design. A zero-to-one build that proved the market insight was right.
Cleveland Magazine Best Laptop Bag
BBB Spark Award Finalist
Product Design Innovation Award