Welcome everyone to the InconnuLAB Blog !
This is our first post and we are very emotional and excited to start this new journey. When me and Nora were thinking of what the first post should be we decided that the best choice would be an interview, so that we could share with you her thoughts and experiences and you can get an insight on how we work. I hope you enjoy it!
Love, Nina.
Nina: Let’s start with your background. How was your life before starting InconnuLAB ?
Nora: Uncertain and full of changes. In 2012, I moved to Italy, leaving Hungary and with it my whole life there (my work, friends, family, etc.). It was not easy, as I love Budapest. A bustling metropolis, with fantastic ebullient cultural life.
And then love came, therefore I dropped everything at once to move to Italy. It has been a good decision. Italy is a terribly inspiring environment. I felt that it was the right moment to start a creative work, which was impossible before. I started volunteering in a cultural association. Meanwhile, I became a self-taught dress-maker and I designed jewelry. Then, in 2013, I launched InconnuLAB .
Did you always want to run your own business or did the decision come gradually?
I would lie if I said that I never wanted to own a company (who wouldn’t want to?). However, you should know that I have no clothes-designer/maker related qualifications (I have a degree in Economics). I always had a creative urge to design and sew, but I have learned everyhing on my own. So of course the decision came gradually. I had to know if my idea would work in realty or not.
What is the most difficult part of opening your own business?
To be brave enough and persistent in the beginning.
You first opened an online shop on Etsy, why did you choose this specific platform?
I think, if you are a novice designer / crafter, Etsy is the best place to open a small business because of the relatively low costs. The hardest part of online sales, is to reach your target audience.
Today, if someone is looking for handmade products, Etsy is the first thing that comes to mind. This means that you can reach your international audience easily. Furthermore, this company puts a great emphasis on sustainable and eco-conscious design, which are two of the characterictics of InconnuLAB bags.
Now you have opened your own website, what influenced this decision ?
I’ve always wanted to have my own webshop but I believe that, in my case, starting one without any experience would be an irresponsible decision. Before that, I had to test myself and I found that Etsy was the best place to do it. There your products can reach quickly an international audience which can help your work with their feedbacks. Fortunately we got a lot of positive comments in the last one and half year. Our customers love the products and slowly our brand is starting to get known. I feel that this is the right moment to open my own webshop.
Why did you choose to design backpacks?
There are two reasons. The first one is that’s it has been a while since I was thinking that a comfortable backpack is better suited to multitasking, which is a requirement of our everyday lives. It lets both hands free and can carry more weight effortlessly. Furthermore, it’s healthier than a normal handbag, which pushes just one shoulder. It provides a practical, fashion- forward update to a handbag, while being a great unisex alternative to a briefcase.
The other reason why I love designing backpacks, is the challenge. Let’s face it, a few years ago when backpacks were not in fashion, they normally were the bags whose function is entirely overshadowing fashion. These backpacks were good to make a trip, but I would not use them in the office. Here in InconnuLAB we design real city backpacks. Perfect in the morning, while cycling to your workplace, but designed to be used as your office briefe-case too. In the evening, after work you don’t need to go home to change bags. You can even party with it!
Are you interested in designing bags or should we expect more products made by you?
Since I was a child I have had a dream to become a clothes designer and I hope that this dream will come true soon.
Do you have any sources of inspiration for your designs?
Today it’s really easy to find inspiration. The last designer who influenced my work was Jacquesmus, a young French fashion designer. He’s amazing! But I follow a lot of (mostly Hungarian) young talented fashion designers too.
However, my key inspiration resources are the materials themselves. If I find a fabric which I like in the shop, it is because I instantly know how I could use it. Actually, sometimes I may not like the fabric itself but the final product, that I imagine.
Could you describe InconnuLAB in 5 words?
Unconventional – Eco-friendly – Quality – Customizable – Handcrafted
What are your future plans for InconnuLAB?
Slowly but surely a small team of creative people is being created around me which inspires and helps my work through their talent. I hope that with them I will be able to realize my future projects. For example I would like to build up a stocks of bags. Since I always sewed alone, I simply did not have the capacity to make it and so far I made bags only to order.
Anyway, I always have short-term plans. I believe that opportunities will come when they have to . :)
What is unique about the InconnuLAB products?
Perhaps the most important thing is that they are characterized by functional minimalism. This is aesthetically decisive and makes the desing eco-conscious. For example, the origami bag is made from one piece of rectangular canvas, which means that we do not produce waste materials. Our backpacks are functially minimalist too. The straps surround the whole bag distributing the weight (holding the bag at the bottom too).
The straps are made of scrap leather pieces, which are not big enough to be cut into long straps. Therefore we invented our very characteristic minimal emboridery to sew together the short leather pieces in order to create a long one.
In addition, we try to avoid the use of extra materials such as clasps and buckles. For example the straps are adjustable by tying a simple knot.
This interview is meant to welcome the readers of InconnuLAB’s Blog. What will we be seeing next in the Blog?
All the things that inspire InconnuLAB’s creative team. Primarily, of course, we will write fashion inspired articles but you will find here a bit of architecture, art, etc too. Since we believe that all these things are inseparable. We would like to give you a comprehensive view of our small business, not only through products, but also introducing the creative team behind InconnuLAB.
