Ori was born in Tel-Aviv, 1982. His mother, Danielle Lehavi, established her own company when he was only 9 years old. Those days, not many women opened their own businesses, so being a female entrepreneur at that time was not only a bold decision but a highly demanding one as well. As a child, Ori witnessed the hurdles and challenges his mother had to endure when building her own company. He helped her with every aspect of her business: from sewing labels to answering phones, through packaging, shipping, and more.
Growing up with a hard-working, independent mother in a house where design was present in every breath you take, had an immense impact on. Ori’s mother’s passed away in 2013, Ori decided to lead the company in light of her vision. He is now the CEO of the company, overseeing the design, logistics, and marketing aspects of the company. Over the past two years, the brand has shifted its strategy to focus more on online platforms and digital marketing. The brand holds e-commerce websites and ships worldwide.
FMM: You began your entrepreneurial journey at a young age. Share your background.
I did, I was actually a part of my mom’s business since she started in 1990, when I was 8 years old. I loved to work- post barcodes, pick and pack, open letters etc. but I officially joined my mother’s company when I was 22, in 2005, and then I really started to move the company towards new horizons – we moved from wholesale to retail in our home market in Israel, expanded into shoes and other accessories. My EMBA from Kellogg University was a tipping point and changed my business perspective completely. After the first class I decided to start doing tradeshows in the US and signed up to Coterie. after my mom’s passing 8 years ago I moved more and more towards design and creative management and today I do both – I split my time between my position as a CEO and the head of creative role.
FMM: Tell us about your mother, Danielle Lehavi. Why was she so inspirational?
My mom was actually the first handbags designer in Israel. She was a real pioneer. Born to a Zionist family in Geneva, her dream was to come to Israel and establish a small business. She faced so many difficulties, being a woman entrepreneur at the end of the 80s, trying to set up a well-organized company but still being so artistic, and later on, being a local fashion house supporting local manufacturing in small quantities, facing huge conglomerates and fast fashion giants. Today, I see my mom as a trailblazer who has paved the way for so many designers after her. Back then, she did not see it that way. She just wanted to do her own thing and insisted on having things done her way.
FMM: What did you learn from your mother about running a successful business?
Not much actually, she wasn’t the best manager. I learned more from my grandfather, school as well as my own intuition. My mother taught me the art of design – consistency, following your gut feeling, surround yourself with inspiring and creative people.
FMM: Why is Daniella Lehavi timeless?
Because we continuously maintain the classic aesthetic of the brand. My mother was not a fashion designer – she was an industrial designer. She didn’t dream of making women pretty or sexy, she dreamt of providing comfortable and functional handbags for busy working women who wanted a soft, laid-back and sophisticated accessory.
FMM: Share your top-sellers.
Heidi messenger, a beautiful classic everyday bag. The Tokyo – a vegan collection that is everybody’s favorite, vegan and carnivores. Just because it’s cool and made of the most incredible material.
FMM: Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Share your new arrivals.
Our first Spring drop is a very exciting collection for me. After 2 years of uncertainty, through which I couldn’t travel and search for new materials, when I started this collection I was finally able to go research. I decided to keep it basic and simple and stay true to a minimalist and neutral vibe that exists in the brand and I feel this is totally the right direction for this spring. It’s all about cream, beige, light camel tones, mixed with rich chocolate, light blue and sage. The color pallet is minimalist but rich, and the shapes are all about feeling comfortable in your own skin.
What is the greatest lesson that you have learned as an entrepreneur? Lol. There are so many. I learn more and more every day. And it always seems like I still have so much to learn. I guess the greatest is that there are no shortcuts. It almost always takes the long, sometimes exhausting, way in order to build something that is truly sustainable and that works well for me and my family, for my customers, for my employees, and for the community in which we operate.
@Daniellalehavi on IG, @Ori Lehavi on Linkedin, @Daniella Lehavi US on Facebook.
