The bags that look Swedish but were born on a Barcelona shoot

Adriana Dumon and Fran Ríos met while working on a film shoot in Barcelona, ​​​​while she was still finishing her final project. Both came from an audiovisual background and had no professional contact with fashion. But their curiosity for all things creative led them to suddenly find themselves hand-sewing backpacks in the living room of their apartment in the Catalan capital. This scene began more than thirteen years ago, and that improvised home workshop has grown into a brand that last year had a turnover of €15 million selling minimalist bags and accessories worldwide.

How did they get here? Dumon lived in London for a time, and when Ríos visited her, "we were amazed by the pieces we found." It was then that they began thinking about launching a brand that would take elements from this more modern design, but at a more affordable price. "The truth is that we've been through all the stages," explains the co-founder of Ölend, a name inspired by a Swedish island, which often fuels the confusion that it's a Scandinavian rather than a Catalan fashion company. They were joined as a driving force and investor by one of Ríos's childhood friends, Antonio Longás, a former Aragonese footballer who debuted with the Real Zaragoza first team and the Barça reserve team and was looking to enter a business project beyond sports.

From sewing their own first backpacks —Dumon shared a prototype made from various fabrics on his Instagram in 2013— They started contacting freelance seamstresses, setting up their own workshop, and now have a supplier who works with several manufacturers. In fact, they found out about them because their partner had bought one of their bags, "he loved it and got in touch." "It's very convenient because they understand our needs and qualities and can advise us and find the best supplier for each design," explains the Ölend co-founder.

Even so, the company has had to take a step back in terms of local production, he admits, due to the difficulties in finding suppliers in a sector that has been in decline for the last few decades in our home. "For ten years we produced in Spain, but we found it impossible to find workshops with the experience and quality required by the technical materials we use. It was very limiting," says Dumon. Their most iconic bag, Ona, can be converted into a backpack and is made of a lightweight, water-repellent nylon. Regardless, the entrepreneur insists that the brand still maintains "responsible and sustainable" production. Initially, they focused heavily on bags and backpacks, but they are about to launch their first trench coat and have also tried selling hats, toiletry bags, and keychains.

Despite being born in Barcelona, ​​​​Spain only represents 5% of Ölend's sales, and the bulk of its income is spread across several markets. "We are very proud to have Japan as the most important country because they are a very demanding audience and one of our favorites, personally and also as a source of inspiration for our designs," comments Dumon. Their minimalist canvas bags—designed for everyday use and available in a wide variety of colors—have also made a name for themselves among consumers in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Own store

In recent years, the company's strategy has focused on positioning itself in flagship stores in its key markets. Today, in addition to its website, Ölend accessories can be found in establishments such as the Parisian department store Le Bon Marché, Galeries Lafayette, and Merci stores; the Dutch high-end chain De Bijenkorf; and the Italian Rinascente. "Furthermore, we have begun to seriously consider opening our first physical store. It's a challenge, but we believe it makes a lot of sense and we're very excited about it," Dumon explains.

Last year, the firm achieved a turnover of €15 million, and this year they aim to approach €20 million. "After thirteen years of work, we can proudly say that the project is profitable," says the co-founder. She has achieved this with a fairly limited team—"like a small family"—of seven employees, although Dumon admits that they have outsourced many tasks. "There are very qualified profiles working externally for various brands. Little by little, we're looking for new profiles to grow," he comments.