The Tamesis
When Mireia Llusia-Lindh launched handbag brand DeMellier in 2010, she wasn’t trying to disrupt luxury so much as rebalance it. Seeing an industry in which price and value were drifting apart, the former consultant and Harvard Business School graduate set out to create a handbag brand rooted in accessibility. Fifteen years later, this positioning resonates with a new generation of discerning luxury consumers. DeMellier is expanding rapidly, building strong sales momentum ahead of opening its first flagship store in London’s Sloane Square later this year.
DeMellier’s sales grew more than 60% last year, and the brand is targeting growth of about 50% in 2026, but declined to share revenue. The bags – seen on Catherine, Princess of Wales, Emily Ratajkowski, Selena Gomez, Beyoncé and more – retail for £265 for a basket bag, £395 for a mini shoulder bag, £525 for a leather tote and £625 for a crocodile print tote.
This New York best-selling bag has been part of the DeMellier collection for about five years.Photo: Courtesy of DeMellier
“Today’s customers are very savvy,” DeMellier founder and director Llusia-Lindh said at the brand’s studio in Hammersmith, west London. “For me, new luxury is about values and integrity, and that extends to pricing.”
Its momentum reflects a broader shift in the market. As top luxury brands raise prices and eliminate entry-level products, affordable luxury brands like DeMellier are grabbing market share. According to research from management consultancy Bain & Company, the affordable luxury segment will outperform the broader luxury market by 2025, with 50% of brands in the category growing, compared with 35% for ultra-luxury brands such as Loro Piana and Hermès and 25% for classic luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
Fashion Led by Commercial Director Naomi Smart Fashion shopping in uk FashionDeMellier said is one of the platform’s “new growth brands.” “We’ve noticed an increase in popularity,” she said. “DeMellier’s sleeker designs and cleaner silhouettes are perfect for working life, coupled with the best price point, I think this has led to a shift.”
DeMellier’s customers range in age from 18 to 65, but its core customers are women ages 35 to 55 who are educated, well-traveled and prefer niche brands to logos. Some are luxury customers buying a main home for less than £3,000; others are aspiring shoppers saving for their first investment, Lucia-Lind said. About three-quarters of sales are split between the UK, US and Europe, with the Middle East growing “very fast” and Japan and South Korea also receiving early attention.
A building without a luxurious script
Llusia-Lindh has a background in business strategy rather than design. The founder grew up in Spain, moved to London to join Bain & Company, then completed an MBA at Harvard Business School and founded DeMellier in 2010. “[As a consultant] When I look at this industry from the outside, it feels like there are a lot of compromises and shortcuts. I feel like the prices for these bags are too high for the quality and there is a monopoly on getting into the industry,” she said.
