VBT 091: Interview with Debra Denniston of HFS Collective vegan bag company

In this episode I interview Debra Denniston, co-founder with her daughter Rachel, of HFS Collective (formerly Hipsters for Sisters), a fashion brand in Los Angeles aimed at ‘liberating women from their baggage’.

The brand is renowned for its belt bags, a much more stylish and colorful alternative to fanny packs.

An artist at heart, Debra loved color, texture and shape as a child and taught herself to sew by the age of five.

But, due to pressure from her parents to pursue more sensible career options, her journey into the fashion industry only happened much later in life when HFS was launched five years ago. Up until then she worked in a variety of sectors including three years practicing law.

HFS has recently expanded into crossbody bags as well as releasing a new collection made from Pinatex, the pineapple leather alternative.

In this episode Debra talks about:

• How her daughters’ embarrassment led to the concept of the brand

• Why she and Rachel changed the name of the business, despite a successful launch

• The benefits of being in business with her daughter

• The costs involved in using certified sustainable fabrics

• The challenges of making bags locally in Los Angeles

• How doing their own PR resulted in a slew of sales from the UK

• And much more

Visit the HFS Collective website

Brands mentioned in vegan business news roundup:

Sydney Vegan Market 
Forbes column on vegan and plant-based business by Katrina Fox

RESOURCES:

My Online PR Course for Vegan Business Owners & Entrepreneurs: Vegans in the Limelight

My book Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business

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