Shot in Collaboration with Walker Wolfe
Are you aching for an alternative to Black Friday Sales? For Small Business Saturday I’m interviewing Walker Mahany, a Bay Area based high school student and handbag designer behind his eponymous brand Walker Wolfe.
Small Business Saturday which happens on November 24th will be your opportunity to be thoughtful about where and from whom you shop. It’s also a time to support Local Businesses in your backyard. Not only are you supporting a great cause but you could be positively impacting the environment as in the case of Walker Wolfe.
I’m always on the lookout for East Bay designers. Last year for Small Business Saturday I featured Oakland based Harumi K. This year I jumped at the opportunity to interview the wise-beyond-his-years Walker Mahany of Walker Wolfe.
Walker and I met last Fall at the panel discussion, Influential Women in Fashion: An Intimate Conversation, held at McMullen, and moderated by Rajni Jacques, fashion director at Teen Vogue. It was a magical evening filled with words of wisdom by fashion women at the center of the industry, such as my friend Sherri McMullen, my fashion crush, editor in chief of All the Pretty Birds Tamu McPherson, and founder Amy Smilovich of fashion house Tibi.
Amongst so many powerful women, Walker was one of the few males in the audience who shined with his confidence, enthusiasm, and most of all clear vision for his business. Click through to find out why Walker Wolfe is a local brand to watch.
TKP: What inspired your business name and why did you start your business?
WW: My business name is my first and middle name. I really liked the sound of Wolfe and I thought Walker Wolfe had an interesting flow.
I started my business because I love fashion and wanted to create something that could demonstrate my creative process as well as make something that people would love.
TKP: What’s the biggest misconception people have about your industry and what are you doing to change this?”
WW: I think the biggest misconception people have about the fashion industry is that it is superficial and doesn’t better society. I believe that the fashion industry has done so much to positively impact society. The fashion industry has such a large platform to communicate ideas and change, and there have been many designers who have utilized their creative voice to help people and the environment. My contribution is that a portion of my profits goes towards cleaning the ocean.
TKP: Who is the Walker Wolfe customer”?
WW: I wanted to create bags that are elegant, practical, and fun.
The Walker Wolfe customer is someone who is confident, wants something unique, and loves to express themself.
TKP: What is your vision for your business or industry in the next year?”
WW: I hope my business continues to grow over the next few years. I hope to expand into more regions of the fashion industry, and get more exposure for my brand. With each new design, I hope to add new levels of quality. Furthermore, I want to continue to support cleaning the ocean. With each sale, I give a portion of my profits to the Ocean Clean-up, an organization focused on removing plastic from our oceans. I want to give more and make a larger impact.
TKP: As someone who has a keen eye for handbags, what is YOUR most coveted handbag, why?
WW: The most coveted handbag in my opinion is the Balenciaga motorcycle bag. It is classy, simple, and timeless.
Shop the complete Walker Wolfe Collection here.
