5 Years of AMELI: What We’ve Achieved – and What’s Still Ahead

Five years ago, we started AMELI Zurich.
At the time, it was more of a “pandemic project” — but with a clear goal: to design a work bag that didn’t feel like a compromise. Something practical without screaming practical. A bag that works in everyday life — and still looks beautiful.

Today, five years later, that idea has grown into something bigger than we ever expected. Here are five things we’re proud of — and five things we’re still working on.

5 Things We’ve Achieved in 5 Years of AMELI

1. From a personal need to a brand with over 50,000 customers
I was AMELI’s very first customer.
I was looking for a bag that would feel right in a meeting and on a business trip — and found myself caught between styles that were either too masculine, too bulky, or too playful.
That thousands of women (and men) have felt the same frustration — and that our bags spark conversations — is still the most meaningful part of it all.

2. Fair production built on real relationships
From day one, we’ve worked with a small, family-run workshop in Italy.
In an industry where “Made in Italy” is often just a label, we know every person involved by name — and pay fair wages (€24–30/hour).
Not because it sounds good — but because otherwise I wouldn’t sleep at night.

3. Growth from Zurich to 60+ countries
Switzerland isn’t the easiest place to start a fashion brand: small market, high costs, and little visibility in the global fashion scene.
But we built our operations for international growth from day one. Today, AMELI ships around the world — from Amsterdam to Abu Dhabi.

4. Female empowerment — not as a buzzword
We work with women-led teams, donate yearly to organizations supporting gender equality, and use our platform to amplify underrepresented voices.
Not because it’s trendy — but because it’s what drives us.

5. Timeless design that works in real life
Our bags balance elegance and function:

• They hold laptops

• Slide over suitcase handles

• And still look polished enough to walk into a boardroom

That balance — between functionality and beauty — was exactly what I once wished for myself. And what didn’t seem to exist on the market.

5 Things We Haven’t (Yet) Achieved

We’re proud of how far we’ve come — but honest about what still lies ahead. Because growth also means knowing where the gaps are.

1. Sourcing without compromise
Many materials — especially hardware — are only available with very high minimum order quantities.
That means we often had to settle for “good enough” solutions.
The good news? We’re finally at the point where we can produce our own metal parts (supplier selection just completed!).

2. In-house design and sourcing expertise
To this day, I design every bag myself — without a design degree, just with a lot of intuition, feedback, and trial-and-error. No technical drawings.
When we’re able to build a dedicated design team and expand our sourcing know-how, I’ll be very happy.

3. Hiring ahead of growth
Sometimes we grow faster than planned.
That often means hiring too late, stretching the team too long, or juggling too many roles.
We’re learning to plan better and hire more proactively — even if it’s uncomfortable.

4. Building awareness beyond our community
Our community understands what we do — and why we do it. But outside of that, many people still don’t know AMELI.
We’re working on becoming more visible — without becoming just another random handbag brand.
The challenge? Scaling without losing our identity.

5. Dreaming bigger
We’re bootstrapped, profitable, and focused.
But that mindset sometimes holds us back from taking the kinds of bold risks that could lead to the next big leap.
Finding the courage to dream bigger — and act on it — is something we’re working on.

Final Thoughts

Five years is not the end. It’s just the beginning.
And while I’m proud of what we’ve built, I’ll admit — I tend to see the open construction sites before the finished milestones.
Maybe because they show us where we still get to grow.

And maybe you feel the same — always more aware of the to-do list than the progress made.
But that, too, is part of the journey.

So thank you — for walking this path with us.
And for every message that simply says:
“I’ve been looking for a bag like this for so long.”

We’re not done yet.