Logan + Lenora is Denver’s Travel Bag Brand

Denver labels repeatedly provide style revelation, influence and individualistic elements to the fashion industry as a whole. Brands such as these administer purpose and achievement throughout their collections, designs and utilization of unique talents. Logan + Lenora, a Denver-based travel bag brand, is no stranger to those attributes. The local bag brand consistently handcrafts versatile totes, clutches, carryalls, pouches and more using fast cleaning fabrics. Here, 303 Magazine caught a glimpse of the brand’s background, design process and future plans for 2020.

303 Magazine: Logan + Lenora is a weatherproof, waterproof, washable travel bag brand made in Denver. Can you please tell us how Logan + Lenora started?

Logan + Lenora: I started Logan + Lenora in 2013.  I saw an opportunity to make a highly functional travel bag for women out of performance fabrics typically reserved for the outdoor industry. So I spent a couple years trying to perfect the designs — balancing a strong feminine aesthetic with highly durable and functional performance fabrics. We had a lot of back and forth with fabric factories for like two years to custom make our fabrics to exactly the right specs we needed for our particular bags.

303: What sets these travel bags apart from other brands?

L+L: I work hard to make these fun feminine designs, but the performance features really drive a lot of my design decisions. The inside of the bag is waterproof, so that lends itself toward a more minimalist design aesthetic — which you’ll see with a lot of our bags.

L+L: I personally love prints on my bags, so our Palmtastic and French Stripe bags are my favorite right now. But our customs love, love, love the monochrome colors, so we are working hard to build out more monochrome colors right now.

303: Please describe your design and production process of the bags. 

L+L: I design all the bags, making prototypes and patterns. We use Instagram stories to share designs and get feedback from our fans — which is super fun and helpful. Sometimes I’ll go through 30 prototypes over six to 12 months before settling on a design to take to the production team. Our production team is incredible, and they refine the pattern and troubleshoot any weak areas.  There’s usually another one to two more prototypes at this phase. Once the construction process is finalized we cut and sew an initial batch of 25 each to confirm the production process works, and then start full production in all our colors.

 303: How has the Denver community embraced the brand? Do you also have nationwide consumers?

L+L: We’re an e-commerce brand, so our customers are nationwide, but the Denver community is amazingly supportive of entrepreneurs and a fantastic place to base our operations.  There’s an incredible hub of talent here for all areas of our business — a large and experienced community of cut and sew craftspeople, tons of direct to consumer marketing experts and a thriving support network for startups/entrepreneurs. I moved here in 2016 to be closer to our cut and sew factory and it’s one of the best things we’ve done.

 303: What are five things every person should carry in their bag?

L+L: Good question. Phone cord, chapstick, water bottle, snack, pen.

303: What inspired your love for bags? Was that love for bags instilled in you at an early age?

L+L: Oh yes, my grandmother, Lenora. She taught me to sew. She was not only the artistic matriarch of our family — I still use her original Bernina sewing machine in my studio — but she had a fantastic flair for fashion. I was obsessed with her shoes, jewelry and handbags.

L+L: We have a new travel duffel coming out, so that will be super exciting.  Also, we just acquired our cut and sew factory here in Denver, so our customers will get to learn a lot more about how we make the bags and their neighbors who are making them here in Denver.