“The common thread is that our bags are built to go from one life stage to another.”

The Azure Road Take

For centuries, necessity has been known as the mother of invention. This common adage refers to how a great need can inspire even greater minds to create innovative solutions — minds just like Melissa Mash, Deepa Gandhi, and Jessy Dover, co-founders of the bag and luggage brand Dagne Dover.

“We started Dagne Dover because we needed bags we could carry from work, to the gym, and into the weekend that were organized, elevated, and performance-focused,” says Dover, the brand’s chief communications officer. “We all know it is impossible to live without a well-designed bag, so Melissa, Deepa, and I decided to make our own.”

Over a decade later, Dagne Dover still runs on that same problem-solving spirit that got the company up and running in 2013. But today, its female co-founders turned c-suite executives are not only dedicated to meeting the needs of their customers, but of our Earth by prioritizing eco-conscious materials and business practices.

Sustainability Chops

In 2018, Dagne Dover made the bold commitment that every collection they create be made of as close to 100% recycled materials as possible. One way they set out to do this was to utilize Repreve® in the creation of all their linings and dust bags, a durable recycled material made from plastic that once polluted our oceans. Today, you can shop styles created entirely from Repreve®, including the Nova Sling Bag which is made of a total of 11 recycled plastic bottles.

The company is also doing its part to minimize their carbon footprint by making it easier for consumers to reuse and recycle with their resale program, Almost Vintage, which lets shoppers buy and sell used Dagne Dover goods. The impact? Buying one used bag emits over 80% less carbon than purchasing that same item new.

“We don’t strive to be eco-conscious or socially responsible because it’s a popular talking point,” Dover says. “These are values that are important to us as founders, that are important to our larger team, and that are also important to our customers.

The Collection

Since 2013, Dagne Dover has grown and evolved with the times to meet customers where they are in their lives. “We launched with leather and coated canvas work bags to address our need for organized and chic bags to keep us supported on the job,” Dover says. Think laptop sleeves, phone pockets, and water bottle holders that you will quickly wonder how you ever lived without.

Dagne Dover’s athleisure backpacks and duffles featuring water-resistant and hand washable neoprene designs hit the market next. The goal? To replace the multiple bags you’ve been toting around with one durable day-to-day option that can go from work to the gym and anywhere in between. Our favorite of the neoprene bunch is the best-selling Landon Carryall Neoprene Duffle which comes in four sizes. The larger weekender sizes (which fit still under your airplane seat) are super spacious yet lightweight, making them the perfect travel companion to pair with the brand’s new travel and luggage collection. (Check out these other sustainable suitcases, if you’re in the market.)

Origin Story

Prior to launching Dagne Dover, which is based in New York City, Mash, Gandhi, and Dover worked in different parts of the retail industry. But they were all passionate about one thing which brought them together: creating multi-faceted bags that could be both chic and functional. 

“The common thread in everything that we make is that it is performance-driven and built to live with you as you go from one life stage to another supporting you along the way,” Dover says.

As they look to the future, the women behind Dagne Dover are committed to continuing to serve customer needs as well as global environmental needs. “Sustainability is close to our hearts,” Dover says. “We are proud to uphold best in class sustainability efforts and put innovation at the forefront of everything we do to ensure we’re being as efficient as we can.”