Amalier officially began in the summer of 2024, a few months after I had left my corporate job to pursue a creative field. As I got ready one morning to plan new career goals, I realized none of my tote bags could securely hold my 16" laptop and was quickly reminded that I never found the ideal work bag during my office days.

I started to search for a chic and functional leather tote and confirmed there was still nothing on the market that checked every box: minimalistic design, high-quality leather & craftsmanship, built-in organization to fit a 16-inch laptop, lightweight, and priced in my budget — just to name a few.

While I couldn't find my ideal bag, I did find my new pursuit. I reached out to female professionals in various industries to understand their functional needs and started to sketch every design that came to mind.

One of the first key decisions made for Amalier was to conduct production in Korea. I wanted to showcase the high-quality craftsmanship and have the brand's identity tie back to my Korean heritage.

I spent over two months traveling across Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to find the best tanneries and local artisans in the industry. My mom accompanied me for the first two weeks to help with introductions while I stayed longer to receive samples, sort out production logistics, and ultimately choose our exclusive manufacturing partner.

The process began with meeting eleven factories, ordering samples and mocks from four, and finally narrowing down the decision to one.

However, narrowing down the factories was not as simple and linear as originally expected. I initially went to Korea with a list of five factories from various referrals and through old-fashioned cold-calling. While I was there, the list increased to nine through more recommendations from local leather showrooms. These factories worked with some of the most popular Korean and global brands, but something was still missing.

After a year of working behind-the-scenes to build Amalier, we officially launched this summer. Our bags arrived earlier than expected, which meant we could ship out pre-orders weeks ahead of schedule — a small but meaningful milestone for us. When 51 boxes arrived at our warehouse, we spent the entire day unloading them, followed by two more days carefully inspecting each bag to ensure the quality lived up to our vision.

Amalier was created to offer timeless staples — pieces that quietly elevate a wardrobe without chasing trends. We’re deeply grateful to our earliest supporters who believed in us before launch and can’t wait to see how you style your Amalier bags in your everyday lives. This is only the beginning, and we’re excited to continue building a collection of essentials that last.