In This Episode…

In this episode, Emily is joined by Lisa Pondgrass, founder of Canvas & Hyde, a luxury “anti-it” handbag company that are made in America + Italy! The two discuss Lisa’s fascinating journey from divorce to entrepreneurship, things she wish she’d known before launching a product-based business, how COVID-19 has affected her supply chain (and how she’s handled it), her involvement with BECCA Cosmetics when it was just a start-up, important buying behaviors, and transparency with informed consumers in today’s market.

About Lisa

Lisa Pongrass is the Founder and CEO of Canvas & Hyde, a luxury handbag company based in Brooklyn, New York.

An acclaimed interior designer and fashion stylist in her Australian homeland, Lisa has over twenty years experience that has propelled her to the forefront of fashion and beauty on an international stage.

As the Deputy Editor of Studio Magazines, Lisa traveled the world shooting editorial fashion content for many years. Then, with the foresight to be a seed investor in BECCA cosmetics, she was integral to its early success serving as Australian head of PR and marketing for the brand. In 2006, Lisa was named in Harper’s Bazaar’s 100 Best-Dressed Australians, recognized for her “classic” style – a category that has been the mainstay of her direction and inspiration for Canvas & Hyde.

With the rise of digitally trend-driven “it” bags of the moment dominating the fashion world, Lisa sought to create her own line of “anti-it-bags”, Canvas & Hyde. With an intrinsic love of design and fashion, she focused on creating a brand that emphasized quality craftsmanship and an urban minimal aesthetic.

Although Lisa was at the forefront of the fashion industry in Australia, she immersed herself in a new challenge – an intense education of the intricacies of the manufacturing process. To assure luxurious quality control, Lisa delved into researching and learning the craft of luxury handbag construction for over a year. Determined to source the finest quality and sustainable materials in partnership with environmentally responsible factories, Lisa collaborated with factories in Italy and the US. With a strong vision and meticulous research, Canvas & Hyde was born.

Currently, Lisa is a Brooklyn resident just minutes away from her showroom. Through Canvas & Hyde, she has successfully brought American-made quality craftsmanship back to life and has incorporated both local and Italian mastery into the company. Lisa states, “My philosophy is that to buy one quality piece is truly investment shopping, and I’ve incorporated this into both my business and my own personal style.”

Show Notes

Connect with Lisa:

Website: https://www.canvasandhyde.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canvasandhyde
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canvasandhyde