From Kenya to USA: How Eva Wambui is Redefining Luxury with Evawambui Bags
Eva Wambui’s business fuses resilience, storytelling, and luxury
CATEGORY: FASHION + STYLE + LUXURY
AFI: Tell us about Evawambuibags and how it all started. Why bags?
I started my brand with a different name, Hope & Bags. Then, I renamed it Evawambuibags because after coming to the U.S., I was diagnosed with leukemia about a year and a half later. I wanted to change the narrative about myself. I came to this country alone, not knowing anyone. I wanted to tell a different story about my life through my bags. I wanted to show that I am so much more than just battling cancer. I wanted to show that I'm strong and I can do other things. I work in IT, but I also wanted to create a luxury bag line that tells a story. Each bag has a name - Grace, Faith, Warrior - and a description explaining the meaning behind the name. I also wanted to create employment for women and to give back to Kenya, the country that raised me.
AFI: Can you share your experience transitioning from Kenya to the US?
Like many Africans, I came to America for a better life and better opportunities that I couldn't get in Kenya. I moved to the US through a summer camp program with the YMCA.
AFI: What makes Evawambuibags different from the other brands?
I believe the narrative woven into each bag truly distinguishes them. While there are countless leather bags in the market, mine carry a unique story. They are not just a brand; they are a statement. When you hold one of my bags, it could evoke memories of your own struggles, or it could symbolize triumph. That's the essence of my bags. They serve as a reminder that I'm just another African woman in America, navigating life's challenges. We all have battles, but I hope my bags foster a sense of connection.
AFI: How do you ensure the quality of materials sourcing and the sustainability of your production process?
I have a business partner in Kenya because I'm in the U.S. We have connections with good tanneries in Kenya. They know quality is paramount. We are blessed to have found tanneries that produce excellent leather for us. It's not cheap, but good leather never is. Then, we have amazing employees who see the value of what we're doing.
AFI: Can you share some of the early challenges you faced in starting Evawambuibags and the strategies you used to overcome them?
The biggest challenge was starting a business and finding someone who understood my "why." Being so far away, I moved back to Kenya for about eight months to build those relationships and establish legitimacy. Finding someone who understood what I was trying to convey was also challenging. But once I found my partner, we've been doing great things together. There are challenges with shipping, but honestly, the biggest worry is sometimes feeling alone so far away from the team.
AFI: How did you source your startup funding? Are there resources or grant opportunities you want to share?
I wish I knew the answer to that! I've used my money and maybe a small loan from my bank, but honestly, I haven't received a single grant yet. A friend believed in me and gave me my first investment to start. She's like, "We'll just help you. We'll just start with one bag,” then one bag turns into 2. It wasn't much, but it felt like someone believed in what I was doing. However, I'm still in search of grants.
AFI: What exciting feedback have you gotten from customers?
When someone relates to a bag. A friend lost her mom and carried my bag for a long time, not knowing it was called Grace. Her sister wanted a bag and left me a video note saying, "I carried a bag that symbolizes everything my mother was." I was like, "Okay, I am truly doing something right." Another friend had just returned from Ghana, and the compliments she got on the bag made her feel good. Customers ordering because of the story behind it. Business has its challenges. Trust me, I get discouraged sometimes, but when you hear stories like that, I want to keep going.
“When you hold one of my bags, it could evoke memories of your own struggles, or it could symbolize triumph. That's the essence of my bags.”
AFI: Evawambuibags is more than a business; it is also a community. Can you discuss your approach to building this community and its importance to your brand?
I want to build a brand that, when I'm long gone, is still a brand that anybody can look back on and say, "Eva started this because..." I want to be remembered for more than cancer. When I buy a bag, I want to remember that cause. I've told my business partner if anything ever happens, I want you to keep going. I don't want my business to end with me. I wanted to keep telling stories. I wanted to still be very relatable. We also try to keep the price as best as we can so that people buy the bag because it's also affordable. It's luxury, but it's also affordable. I don't charge insane costs.
AFI: Can you talk about your marketing strategies? What has worked? What hasn’t?
Currently, I'm just online. I don't have a store. If you find your niche in online business, you may not need a store. Regarding marketing, it's mostly word of mouth. I was buying ads at some point, but I don't think they are very effective. I think it's more of word of mouth. And then, at our networking events, I am also trying to go to networking events, tell them about my business, and also look for collaborations.
I feel like every time I learn something, I try to do pop-ups, but it is not always very feasible for me. So, to answer your question, e-commerce is where you can find me, sliding the DMs. Or just let me know if you're interested. Or my website.
“We have connections with good tanneries in Kenya. They know quality is paramount. We are blessed to have found tanneries that produce excellent leather for us. It's not cheap, but good leather never is.”
AFI: What advice would you give aspiring African entrepreneurs?
Find your people. Find people who encourage you. I am so blessed that my friends constantly remind me. I am on the right path, and it may seem hard, but nothing good comes easy. Wake up, and do not leave the bed until you are convinced that your why is still why you want to keep doing it. If things get back, write it down, read it, and paste it around you. Do whatever it takes to keep seeing why you're doing this and not giving up. It is not easy. You must believe in what you're doing and know that faith. Hang on to whatever you're doing right, and you will find your break, but you just have to keep going. You have to believe in yourself and your product or service. And make it the best you can. Right?
AFI: Evawambuibags has already made a mark. What are your long-term goals for the brand, and how do you envision expanding its impact?
"Oh, my gosh! I recognize that bag, right?" That is what I want to hear. Like, "Eva, I was in Europe and saw your bag. You know I was in Japan, and I saw 3 of your bags." That is what I want. I want to see people wear this bag because it changed their lives. I just don't want it to be a bag. I want it to be very impactful. But then, to be impactful everywhere, we also want to give back because people have challenges. We try to give back, and when we give back, half the time, somebody sends us somebody who buys a bag, and that's not the reason we do it, but because I have been given so much. To be able to give somebody else hope. So basically, we want to be everywhere, but with the right message.
