From Idea to Icon: How Lili Turned a Vision into a Global Fashion Brand
Lili Radu’s journey is a testament to the importance of vision and determination. From identifying a gap in the market to building two globally recognized bag brands, known for their blend of style and function, her story is also one of creativity and strategy. Now she is taking on the US market, whilst also returning to SDA Bocconi every year to inspire the next generation of fashion entrepreneurs.
A native of Frankfurt, after earning a degree in Communications from the University of Vienna and later working in the world of marketing, in 2010 Lili decided to enroll in the Master in Fashion, Experience & Design Management (MAFED) at SDA Bocconi school of management.
“I needed a more practical approach to life. During the year I spent in Milan I managed to give concrete form to an idea that I had in mind for some time: I realized that there were no fashionable bags on the market that were specially designed for laptops, and I wanted to create a product for this specific purpose,” says Lili. “From dialoguing with my classmates and teachers, and continually interacting with international guests from the leading companies in the industry, I received a constant source of inspiration to realize my project.”
After graduating, Lili in fact went back to Germany in 2011 and founded her namesake brand in Berlin. She was clear about her business strategy based on quality products - but with accessible prices - a choice guaranteeing her an advantage in a very competitive market. In 2012 she was the first German designer to produce an exclusive collection for Apple, and a few months later also for Sony.
In 2017 she then decided to found VeeCollective with her husband, a second brand offering more carefree, minimal tote bags. “We decided to create a second brand born of the idea of lightness and functionality - a tote bag for travelling, sport, shopping, work and leisure time. A bag to meet the needs of the modern woman.” Today VeeCollective is present in 250 stores worldwide, including Bloomingdale's, Galeries Lafayette, Selfridges.
And a principle which has always been the centerpiece of Lili’s production is to never compromise on sustainability. Last year in fact the company earned the B Corp certification, one of the highest acknowledgements of a company’s high social and environmental performance and transparency. And every year Lili returns to SDA Bocconi as a guest lecturer to teach a sustainability course, where the MAFED students explore how to communicate sustainability effectively, using her brand as a case study.
And her latest step for growth? “Last September we moved, all the family, to New York. The focus for the next five years in fact is to grow in the US – it’s a big step, but its in my DNA that when I see an opportunity I grab it.”
And her advice for young female students: “You can do anything…but not everything. So you need to focus and learn to prioritize…especially for example as in my case as a mother with children.”
