eeva ria
Having successfully launched her brand without external investment, Kairavee Paul, founder of EEVA RIA, shares insights for anyone looking to start their own business on a budget. She discusses how her background in management consulting played a crucial role in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, from strategic financial management to understanding market demands and putting her audience first.
Expect practical advice on how to stay resourceful and disciplined when bootstrapping, as Kairavee details her journey of building EEVA RIA. The interview also explores the ethical practices behind EEVA RIA, showcasing her commitment to promoting sustainability, and how it has been integrated into every aspect of her brand, from production to customer experience.
Photo credit: Becky Biel
Who is EEVA RIA for?
The design process involved collaboration with over 100 women, and all bags are produced at family ateliers in Italy, while the dust bags are made by a foundation in India supporting women’s financial independence.
What is the ethos behind EEVA RIA?
It revolves around empowering women in their professional lives through the creation of stylish and functional business bags. We are committed to designing products that cater to the needs of working women, combining elegance with practicality. Our focus is on providing high-quality, Italian-made bags that are both beautiful and tailored to enhance the daily work experience of successful women. We have a deep understanding of our customers––designing our products based on extensive research and feedback from female professionals!
What’s EEVA RIA’s value and ethos?
EEVA RIA has a fun story behind it. The name represents today’s modern businesswoman.
"VARIA" derives from the Latin word "varius," meaning diverse and different. As a female founder with Indian, Romanian, and German heritage, it was crucial for me to create an inclusive brand that resonates with every woman. Every woman is unique in origin, appearance, style, and career ambition. We strive to build a brand that reflects this diversity, with bags designed for every woman.
"EVA" symbolizes life. As women, balancing personal and professional lives can be especially challenging. We want to convey that you can “have it all,” whatever that might look like - whether single, married, with or without children, working full-time, part-time, or freelance.
"ARIA" translates to "female lion," representing the bold, empowered women we aspire to support.
These values are reflected in our designs. Our bags are functional and customizable to suit individual tastes. They’re designed to seamlessly support women in balancing their private and work lives, transitioning effortlessly from day to night, work to leisure - making them the perfect everyday companion. Our bold and empowering design philosophy shines through in every detail.
The fun twist is that EEVA RIA is actually my name spelled backward. One of my best friends came up with this idea over a glass of wine in Venice. It was only later that we realized how perfectly the name aligns with the values and message I want to express through the brand.
How has starting your business without external investment impacted your journey?
It has made me more resourceful, disciplined, and strategic in every decision I make. Without the cushion of external funding, I’ve had to be extremely mindful of where every euro goes, ensuring that each expense directly contributes to the growth and sustainability of the brand. That said, this doesn’t mean I haven’t made any wrong investments along the way. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and I’ve had my share of them.
Can you share how your background and experience in management consulting has influenced the strategic growth of your brand?
Having a background in management and consulting has definitely given me an advantage helped me in running EEVA RIA. A strong general business acumen and an understanding of numbers are very valuable when making strategic decisions and ensuring the financial health of the business. This experience has been a major asset in the growth of my brand. It’s taught me how to:
1) quickly become an expert in the industry and tasks such as video editing, which has been crucial as I am new to the fashion industry and a first-time founder.
2) see the big picture while breaking down my goals into manageable steps, ensuring that my brand's growth is both strategic and actionable.
3) be flexibile and easily adaptive – being able to pivot when things don’t go as planned has helped me navigate the unpredictable nature of running a business.
4) focus on the customer. In consulting, the priority is always understanding and fulfilling the client's needs. With my brand, this same principle applies – it's crucial to put the customer first.
5) build a rigorous work ethic and resilience; this is required in consulting has prepared me well for the ups and downs in entrepreneurship.
What advice would you give to creative entrepreneurs who might not have the same business experience but want to succeed in a competitive market?
Focus on understanding business fundamentals, such as key financials, to gain a clear overall picture. Secondly, surround yourself with a mentor or even a cofounder who has the business experience you might lack.
What's the best tip you've come across when it comes to marketing on social media?
Continuity is key, however, it’s quality over quantity.
Can you walk us through the key features of your bags that make them unique and suitable for businesswomen?
Of course! You can…
attach the bags to your suitcase for hands-free travel
easily access your phone or wallet from a dedicated pocket, even when the bag is closed – No more frustrating searches
store your cables, mouse, and other essentials in our signature, deep pockets
convert one model into a backpack without any adjustments
personalise the bag to match your style, so you don’t need a new bag over time – just update the look (#sustainableaswell)
use the matching clutch which fits perfectly in its own compartment for your after-work-drinks while leaving the larger bag with the concierge
And something we hear often - and are very proud of - is that our bags are incredibly lightweight, even though they’re made of leather. Your perfect assistant!
Why did you choose family ateliers in Italy for the production of your bags, and how do these partnerships reflect your brand's values?
We chose family ateliers in Italy because the art of leather craftsmanship was born there and has been passed down through generations. With the rise of fast fashion and overseas production, it has become increasingly challenging for these smaller, family-run ateliers to sustain their businesses. We have a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, high quality, and products made with true passion and dedication. Supporting these ateliers allows us to help preserve this rich tradition, embracing the philosophy that less is more.
The dust bags are made by a foundation in India supporting women’s financial independence. Can you tell us more about this partnership and its impact?
I am half Indian, raised in Germany. I have seen first–hand the challenges women face in India and always wanted to do something about it. That’s why I partnered with a foundation that produces our dust bags. We purchase them at regular prices - actually higher than if we outsourced to a packaging company in Europe. The foundation educates women in artistic skills like stitching and employs them, so they can achieve financial independence. Our impact is still small, but as we grow and increase our orders, we aim to support the foundation in meaningful ways.
How do you ensure a luxury experience for your customers, from the design and quality of the bags to the purchase and aftercare services?
It all starts with our products, where we put complete focus on quality. We know exactly who crafts our bags, as well as all the suppliers for the 95 individual pieces that go into making our CI1 model, for example. We’ve personally inspected each step, ensuring both quality and value and use top-tier input materials, like YKK zippers, renowned as the best worldwide.
In customer interactions, we aim to provide a seamless, customer-first experience. Our virtual store allows you to explore our bags and learn more about our story in an immersive way. You can even use augmented reality to visualize the bags in your living room, getting a better sense of their size and style. We pay attention to the little details too, like handwriting cards with each parcel and offering 1:1 virtual consultations for a personalized introduction to our collection.
What feedback have you received from your customers, and how has it influenced your product development and business strategy?
We highly value feedback and believe our bags are always evolving. We've received fantastic suggestions, like offering silver hardware or an iPad-sized version. We're keeping a list of these ideas and continuously reviewing them for future updates and new models.
Sustainability and empowering women supporting women’s financial independence are core to your brand. How do you balance your values with the demands of running a luxury business?
We're committed to creating more transparency for our customers and gaining a deeper understanding of our value chain and processes. As a small startup, gathering all this information can be challenging. In fact, our bag producer once told us, "You have the smallest orders, but you’re the most demanding with all the details and information you request." Today, we can confidently trace our production process up to the second level, knowing exactly where everything comes from. However, when it comes to the third level—the raw materials—it becomes more difficult. We can generally identify the countries of origin, but not much beyond that. Improving this is a key focus for us moving forward, along with exploring new materials and ways of production. For us, sustainability means looking at the full picture. For example, we are often asked, why we don’t use vegan leather. So far, we haven’t found one we can confidently choose, as many options aren't as sustainable as they appear, often being primarily plastic. In addition to sustainability, we are passionate about empowering women. We have many ideas and initiatives in mind that we plan to pursue as our business grows.
Check out EEVA RIA bags here
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Take a look at the bags in real-life at The Fold London, 2 Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LF, MON-FRI, 10.30am-6.30pm Mon–Fri.
