This Influencer-Loved Bag Brand Has a 15,000 Person Wait List
Fact: It's almost as hard to get a Chylak bag as it is to get an Hérmes Birkin. The Polish-based brand has taken Instagram by storm, becoming an overnight favorite amongst influencers, It-girls, and basically anyone looking for a chic, well-made bag that won't break your budget.
We spoke with Polish native Zofia Chylak on the eve of her new collection debut to discover how she reached It-bag stardom, and what it feels like to have thousands of girls clamoring to buy her designs.
When you first launched the brand, did you have any idea it would become this big and have such a cult following?
Thank you, I was certainly not expecting this! I’m shocked every time I receive an update on the figure. Currently it’s over 15 000 so it’s really overwhelming. We are doing our best to meet the demand but we don’t want to compromise on the quality.
Some models sell out in 5 minutes. People think this is a clever business idea, but the truth is it just happened naturally. We’ve also had to start putting them online later in the day so that the US audience get a chance when the new stock arrives…
Chylak has been in operation since 2014. What do you attribute to its recent explosion? Did you have a specific strategy or did it happen organically?
Launching the brand in Poland allowed us to build a local following, and organically grow and gradually expand our product line. We started selling directly to consumer, and focused on online sales. I had a lot of support from the Polish press and that gave me confidence. Working with a London-based PR agency helped to get the brand recognized internationally.
Last year was really exciting for us, a few months after some of the international girls became fans of the brand and started wearing Chylak, we received a call from Net-A-Porter who wanted to work with us. I think having a following definitely helped in terms of being recognized by key stockists and press internationally.
Can you tell me more about your drops? For example, how often do you release more bags and how frequently is that?
Even though I hear from people that ‘everything is sold out all time’ there’s a new drop every few days (usually we are restocking our current bestsellers). We have more than 60 products and we cannot produce and release all of them at the same time, so usually you have to wait one or two months to stock certain models. At the moment, we are releasing new collections four times a year.
You interned at Proenza Schouler. What was the most important thing that you learned there?
It was an amazing time, for me it was a great opportunity to see how such big brands look from the inside. In Poland I would never have such an opportunity.
I’ve always been an observer, so I’m very good at learning just by watching, I’m very focused on details. I remember that I was impressed with Jack and Lazaro, the designers, the way they work with fabrics, the way they would spend all days with pattern makers, cutting by themselves, working hand in hand with interns. Never making us feel as we were somehow less important.
Proenza Schouler was working with really amazing pattern making atelier - Nicolas Caito - everyone there had an amazing portfolio and they all worked for biggest French fashion houses like Dior and Chanel, I was interning also with them, watching them making clothes, sewing by hand, it was really an amazing experience.
So many amazing new brands are coming out of Europe from places like Poland and Georgia. Why do you think these countries are offering products that are more affordable and better made than the US?
I’m really glad that this is happening, and every excited to see new countries emerging on the fashion map now. I think it’s primarily because of the internet and social media. It’s now easier than ever to find new exciting brands. Fashion loves fresh, new things. I remember a few years ago my friends were asking me if I was sure that I wanted to write ‘made in Poland’ on every bag I make. It was unusual at that time but I loved Poland and I felt that it’s time for us to be proud of it. Now when I’m talking to clients and buyers, they love it. Price is for sure another reason. From the beginning I wanted my accessories to be elegant and timeless but affordable and accessible.
Your bags are that perfect mix of classic and on trend. What inspired your shapes and silhouettes? Any specific references?
That’s exactly the mix I was hoping to be able to achieve while designing. I’m very sentimental, I look back a lot. I was studying history of art, and since I was a child I felt I would fit perfectly to the world of 18th or 19th century. But on the other hand I know that we’re here now and wearing crinoline dresses would be ridiculous. So that’s where you need to look for something in between and combine. I want my bags to be as elegant as my grandmother in 1935 and as fresh as what you can see on the streets of Paris and New York during fashion week.
Social media (and Instagram in particular) has had a huge impact on your business. How do you feel about the social media landscape, and managing the huge amount of work that goes with it?
Instagram is my favorite I must say. Such a powerful platform right now. We really work hard to build a consistent brand aesthetics through photos that we post, and to connect with our followers. We all know that it’s not only about product now it’s about creating a beautiful, interesting world of the brand. We invest in working with talented photographers like Asia Typek, her street style photos are one of the most characteristic part of our instagram identity.
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