For Jessie Wong, true luxury in design occupies a space between understated elegance, functionality and detail-centred quality. The Creative Director of Yu Mei, Wong founded the leather goods brand after an inability to find a design-conscious bag that comfortably fit all her daily essentials: a riposte to an industry where the blueprint for most bags is based on women’s role in society 100 years ago. Crafted mainly from sustainably sourced Nappa leather, each Yu Mei product is inspired by and an answer to a genuine need; a seamless balance between refinement and utility.
01 WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED ME TO BAG DESIGN WAS
necessity. While I was studying, I wanted a design-conscious bag that could fit my laptop, lunchbox and visual diary - essentially the kitchen sink. So, I decided to make one and then a few more…
02 THE MATERIAL I LOVE WORKING WITH THE MOST IS
Yu Mei’s signature New Zealand-farmed deer nappa. It’s a by-product of the venison industry that would otherwise be wasted and is 100% sourced from local farms within the South Island of New Zealand, enabling traceability back to a farm level. It’s also incredibly buttery-soft and durable, making it both a beautiful material to hold and feel and is guaranteed to last a lifetime with proper care and respect.
03 SUSTAINABILITY AND REGENERATION ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE
it’s clear that humans have had a detrimental impact on the planet, but I’m a firm believer that it’s possible to run a business while giving back. Ultimately, I can only control what we do at Yu Mei and the practices that we put in place - but I hope that through doing so, people can see that it’s possible to run a successful business while prioritising regeneration. We have just applied to become BCertified, which is a great framework to measure impact in a tangible way.
04 THE FIRST THING I EVER SOLD WAS
a bucket bag I made in university - a very early version of what is now known as the Phoebe Bucket Bag, which has fortunately come a long way since then!
*Pictured here: Yu Mei's Phoebe bucket bag.
05 THE PROCESS I FIND MOST REWARDING IS
creating toiles and working with our design team to conjure up exciting new bags and products. Running a business requires fingers in many pies – from budgets to branding to building store fit-outs, so it’s always rewarding to go back to where everything started.
06 MY INSPIRATION RITUALS ARE
I love art and it’s always such a significant source of inspiration for Yu Mei - whether that’s using an artist reference to inform a new season’s colourways, collaborating with an artist on a project that’s mutually exciting and beneficial, or showcasing the work of local artists in store. Having a brand provides a platform to work and connect with other creatives who inspire me.
07 AN ARTIST WHOSE WORK I NEVER TIRE OF
Gretchen Albrecht, an iconic artist from Aotearoa. Gretchen has had an impressive career and always works with the same silhouettes, while changing her use of colour – not too dissimilar to our practice at Yu Mei. We have one of her “Hemisphere” works in our Newmarket Lounge, titled, “Sunset over Lockdown #4.”
08 THE ARTIST WHOSE BAG I'D LIKE TO PEAK IN
Miuccia Prada. I’m a massive fangirl - she’s had such a long and incredible career and is still at the top of her game. I’d love to see what essentials she carries in a day (and adopt them into my own routine!) As Alexa Chung recently stated, “she could spit in a cup and I’d ask how much.”
JESSIE'S FAVOURITE THINGS
01 The Olsen sisters: Jessie's style icons.
02 "L'art est un fruit" earrings in gold vermeil.
03 "The secret paintings of Hilma Klint" at the City Gallery of Wellington: the last exhibition she enjoyed.
04 "Louie London"– the last restaurant she ate at and loved.
05 The artist Claudia Kogachi's work: someone she's recently discovered.