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Imitation may be the greatest form of flattery, but it’s also a sign you need to shake things when everyone’s mirroring your signature ideas.
That’s a sentiment Mon Purse co-founder Lana Hopkins is all too familiar with. The initial monogramming she founded her accessory brand on back in 2014 might have been novel at the time (not to mention a blogger’s flat lay dream), but it now feels like every brand from the highest luxury houses to budget high street offers the service.
Despite that, Mon Purse has transformed into a global success during its short three-year lifespan. Its first flagship store opened in Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction this month, joining a second store in nearby Paddington, along with concessions in major MYER stores and Bloomingdales in New York and San Francisco, where it sits alongside Louis Vuitton and Salvatore Ferragamo. Then of course there’s the bustling online shop.
The Mon Purse global flagship store at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney Credit: Supplied
“The number one thing if you’re building a cult brand people will care about is authenticity, which is why we manufacture in Europe,” says Hopkins. “The quality, the smell, the touch all have to be perfect. That’s even more important if you’re putting your personal stamp on it – whether it’s your initials or a painted illustration.”
The latter – illustration – is Hopkin’s bold strategy for staying ahead of the now flooded monogrammed bag market: illustration. Mon Purse customers can literally customise their totes, phone cases, bag tags etcetera with illustrations hand-drawn on by an in-store artist: lips, tigers, stars, even favourite pets or cartoon slogans.
Hand-painted samples in Mon Purse Bondi Junction store Credit: Supplied
The concept was tested in the brand’s Bloomingdale’s store, where Australian artist Paige Hurvitz was engaged to embellished leather pieces for hundreds of customers and even a handful of big-name celebs.
“I did one of the Snapchat dog filter for Evan Speigel and a matching one for Miranda Kerr.”
“It was his and hers,” Hurvitz told GRAZIA from her new station in the Bondi store. “Often if people don’t know what they want, I’ll tell them to have a look at my Instagram for ideas. The tiger is very popular, so are dogs and shoes. I’ve literally done four dogs just today,” she noted. “I painted a dog on Barbara Streisand’s bag – it was the large shopper bag in tan. [Round-spectacled fashion legend] Iris Apfel got her own face on her bag.”
Hand-painted illustration is the new monogram at Mon Purse Credit: Supplied
Most clients come armed with a google image or photo, but for those who don’t, she also offers a thick book filled with snaps of previous jobs for inspiration – much as a tattoo artist would.
The service costs $29 for smaller items, $49 for large and takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Wear and tear aren’t a worry either, she says. “I say it will last as long as the bag lasts. This paint is specifically for leather and I put a finisher over the top which sets within 24 hours. I have a mini tote with a Smurf on it which I painted in New York. It’s been through snow, rain, heat, everything – and it is still perfect.”
The painting service is now available for orders at the Mon Purse online store too.
Mon Purse co-founder and CEO Lana Hopkins Credit: Supplied
