Lili Radu: Crafting Stories in Leather with a Global Heart
Lili
Radu
Frankfurt-born designer. Two globally recognised bag brands. First German designer to produce for Apple. B Corp certified. Now taking on New York.
Lili Radu · @lili_radu
"My greatest inspiration was my grandmother. She faced life's hardest moments with strength and grace, never losing her warmth or optimism. That's the spirit I weave into every piece."
A super chance and very fun encounter in Cambodia: I recently reconnected with Lili Radu, the visionary behind the eponymous leather accessories brand that blends old-world craftsmanship with modern wanderlust. Born in Frankfurt but shaped by stints in Austria, Spain, the US and Italy, Lili's designs reflect a life lived between cultures. After earning her Master's in Fashion, Experience and Design Management from Milan's SDA Bocconi, she channelled her passion into building her brand, one stitch at a time. She then founded a second brand, VEE COLLECTIVE, with her husband Patrick Loewe in 2017. Today VEE COLLECTIVE is present in 250 stores worldwide, including Bloomingdale's, Galeries Lafayette and Selfridges, and last year the company earned B Corp certification. This September, Lili moved her whole family to New York. The US is the next chapter.
In 2012 she was the first German designer to produce an exclusive collection for Apple, and a few months later for Sony. Her dissertation at SDA Bocconi focused on INTERPLAST, a nonprofit providing free surgeries in developing countries. In January she joined their mission in Takeo, Cambodia, fundraising for a children's hospital. "The kindness of Cambodian people humbled me. It's a place that stays with you forever." She returns to SDA Bocconi every year as a guest lecturer to teach a sustainability course, using her own brand as the case study.
Some might expect me to name a famous designer, but my greatest inspiration was my grandmother. She faced life's hardest moments with strength and grace, never losing her warmth or optimism. That is the spirit I weave into every piece.
Two weeks before the brand's debut, my computer hard drive crashed, erasing years of work. I learned three things: breathe, camp out at the Apple Store, and keep your best friends on speed dial. The crisis became a lesson in resilience that now defines the brand's ethos.
During my year in Milan I realised there were no fashionable bags on the market specially designed for laptops. I wanted to create a product for this specific purpose. From dialoguing with my classmates, teachers, and continually interacting with international guests from leading industry companies, I received a constant source of inspiration to realise the project.
Never give up. Keep the wind in your sails, even when the sea gets rough. And: you can do anything, but not everything. You need to focus and learn to prioritise, especially as a mother with children.
"I needed a more practical approach to life. In Milan I managed to give concrete form to an idea I'd had for some time. From that year came everything."
Lili Radu · On SDA Bocconi and the beginning of it allFounded Berlin 2011. Leather accessories blending heritage craftsmanship with wanderlust. First German designer to produce for Apple (2012) and Sony. Each piece a companion for life's journeys. liliradu.com
Founded 2017 with Patrick Loewe. 100% recycled, vegan, low-impact materials. 250 stores worldwide including Bloomingdale's, Galeries Lafayette, Selfridges. B Corp certified. vee-collective.com
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