Born from A Dream, Inspired by Ancestors

Born from A Dream, Inspired by Ancestors

by Vanessa Ohaha

With a background in commercial and business strategy, Silvana Landa had first-hand insight into how big brands ran and how others were created. Before long, Silvana realized it was time to create something that was hers.

LANDA was born out of a dream and inspired by my ancestors.

As a child, Silvana spent hours watching her Italian grandfather work with leather in his workshop. The entrepreneurial spirit seems to run in her genes. Her grandfather was a cobbler; her father an entrepreneur who taught her much about the corporate world; her grandmother, a self-made pantsuit tailor; and her mom an entrepreneur in her own way. To Silvana, starting her own business felt inescapable.

Originally conceived for people who use more than one bag in their daily lives, LANDA bags are multifunctional and carry little secret pouches that can convert one bag into a second bag in seconds.

Despite having a wealth of experience, starting a new business was not without challenges. She had to deal with design, materials, factory partners, shipping costs, brand identity, and communication to mention a few. One thing that was important to Silvana—quality! Silvana was not going to compromise on quality; she wanted to create a product that would last years and would be functional and remain beautiful.

She soon began researching raw materials. She wanted to approach the fashion industry in a new way, disrupt it and work on her own terms. So, she decided to work with artisans. The brand celebrates traditional manufacturing expertise and works with small factories that handcraft each item.

“One of my favourite aspects of the craft side of our products is how those artisans apply several coats of eco-friendly paint in order to achieve a luxurious and seamless look and feel.”

Sustainability was a key factor in creating her business. Leather is a very durable material, but to be more sustainable, LANDA is introducing (this summer) accessories made in vegan leather and other materials.

As a brand, we will continue to look for new and better options available in terms of production methods and materials.

Silvana wants customers who shop consciously, who instead of buying four cheap bags a year, invest in better quality that will stand the test of time. Her contribution to a more sustainable fashion industry is creating quality products that are not based on trends but can be worn in every season and passed down to the next generation.

When asked about the impact she hopes LANDA will have on the leather accessories industry, Silvana says, “Timeless wardrobe staples. We want our pieces to be worn over and over again.”

What does the future of LANDA look like? Growth! Silvana’s goal is to reach customers all over the globe. They want to continue to add value by creating beautiful pieces that make sense.

Designed between Dublin and Lake Como, LANDA is in an expansion phase and their bags may very soon be in LA, Barcelona, Cape Town, Auckland, and maybe even Mars.

LANDA bags is my way of leaving my stamp on the world.

Discover the rare talents of creatives, brands, products, projects and the entrepreneurs that bring them to life. Read more features like this raremagazine.com - subscribe to one of our packages to receive special offers!