Jesse Dorsey and Wannasiri Kongman, BOYY Co-Founders and Co-Creative Directors
LuisaViaRoma is proud to present the exclusive capsule collection from BOYY. The capsule captures the high summer spirit of the Italian Riviera of the late 1960’s. The collection also introduces a re-imagined belt and buckle detail as a bold contrast stitched motif – a cheeky twist on the brand’s heritage. The collection consists of 5 bags, each as beautiful as the next. This collection is the ultimate must have summer lineup featuring canvas, a luxe cognac smooth leather and macramé raffia.
In celebration of the launch, LuisaViaRoma interviewed one of the two co-founders, Jesse Dorsey. Jesse tells us the story of how he and Wannasiri Kongman met, how they created BOYY, the spirit of BOYY, how social media plays a role in the brand’s success, and tells us first hand their inspiration for the capsule collection for LuisaViaRoma. Scroll down to read the interview and shop the capsule collection
How did BOYY come to be and how did you two meet? Why did you decide to design bags specifically?
The two of us met one very cold February night in downtown New York City in 2004, no introductions, no friends in common, just a moment of destiny I suppose. At the time I was making/producing music and Wannasiri was taking courses at FIT and waiting tables. Wannasiri’s contagious obsession of handbags really got under my skin (in a good way…!) – this combined with my obsession to create, ended up combusting into BOYY.
What is the spirit of BOYY? What does BOYY embody to you? Do you agree with BOF when they say your bags are the “anti-It” bags?
The real backbone spirit of BOYY is ambition and a lust for life. BOYY has not only been a creative vessel for us but equally a way to flourish in life. I think we’re junkies for constantly seeking greater beauty, greater dangers and greater lights. When we started the brand, neither of us were in any position of comfort or stability, however our desire to propel was and is a very strong force.
Regarding “Anti-it” bags, that’s a complex one, I believe this quote was originally stated in a New York Times article back in 2009, it was during an era of bling, logos and very feminine bag designs, we appeared in the arena with a rebel attitude, masculine designs and no logos, it was fitting at the time, but times have changed considerably since then.
For a brand that boasts no logos or brand appliques, your bags stand out from the rest and are spotted all over our favorite style muses. When did you know you had made it in the fashion world?
There have been a few pivotal moments that have helped BOYY step up its relevance in the fashion world, and each time it’s a similar phenomenon, these moments become something bigger than we could have ever imagined or controlled, and take on a life of their own. The moments themselves don’t last forever but they leave a footprint that does. I think for us it’s these moments compounded, that signaled “we have made it in the fashion world”. Another less abstract angle is when our designs became heavily counterfeited, this too helps solidify any questions whether you’ve made it or not…
What is your design process? How do you come up with the formula for your bags? Who are you designing for?
We don’t follow trends. All our hard work and risk-taking has put us in a fortunate position where we now don’t have to churn things out at a crazy pace. Which allows us as much time as we need to develop new products. We will only launch a new product if both of us feel beyond elated about it. Part of this strategy is we actually don’t aim to be current – we aim to be timeless, and maybe that’s our ‘formula’.
What makes BOYY bags unique?
From day one we carved our own direction, we never looked much at trends as we always strived and believed we would and could create them. This mindset paved a way for designs that reflect from within. In this way, we fast-track finding “unique”. At this point, one just has to hope the designs you put out there reverberate in any universe and in a way that attracts and manifests desire.
When did you know it was the right time to expand to footwear and sunglasses?
We have been growing our own retail business since 2010, and as this grew, so did our minds and wings which led to growth of product lines. This was also paced with our agreement as a brand/ as founders, that we would not launch anything unless we had designs that we were absolutely sure define us and are able to transcend. We always aim for timelessness not quick turnover.
What role does social media play into your brand?
We view social media as a window into our brand, as well as a window to our audience and anyone who might be interested, and all this comes with a global reach. Which is the course is a great luxury compared to the past. Brands can now self-mobilize and inhabit a space they create that is all theirs, that can constantly be nurtured and grow sustainably.
The capsule collection for LuisaViaRoma is inspired Italian Riviera of the late 1960’s. Can you tell us about the collection and your references of inspiration?
Our whole lives, the fantasy surrounding the Italian Riviera has been well ingrained -however since making Italy our home in 2018, the Riviera has become more than a fantasy, it’s become real, tangible and maybe now a little part of us. This collection in a way is an ode to the gratitude of both the fantasy and now, the reality.
What’s next for BOYY?
We have big plans, but best to keep hush on them, don’t want to jinx anything ; )
A special thank you to Jesse Dorsey and Wannasiri Kongman.
