I had just moved to Los Angeles and was looking for a designer role, but I couldn't find a brand whose values resonated with me, so I started sketching, then made one bag myself. The first version wasn't at the quality I wanted, which led me to a small family-owned factory in LA that I still work with today. When I held that first sample, I knew it was time to build the childhood dream.

The first production was small and intentional, one style in eight timeless colors. I kept the bags boxed under my bed, packing and shipping each order myself. That first run showed me what it truly takes to build a product, not just design one.

Growth came quietly and steadily, with no urgency to expand. Each small batch offered a chance to refine, thoughtful adjustments to proportion, materials, and construction shaping the product over time. In August 2025, I traveled to Italy to begin manufacturing there. Beny came with me, and it was during that trip that the idea of building LEMIZ together truly began.

In 2026, Beny officially joined LEMIZ. We've always been siblings and best friends, and working together has felt natural from the start, the same trust, honesty, and shared vision we bring to everything else. What began as something personal has become something shared, and that's been the most rewarding part of the journey.