It was a woman wearing a white linen dress so elegantly who started it all. She had caught a glimpse of her crossing a cobblestoned street in New York, and on her shoulder swung a perfect, woven basket bag. It stopped the now Bembien founder in her tracks. There was something about this woman that felt so effortlessly chic—she looked as though she had just stepped out of 1970s coastal France.
In that moment, the founder Yi-Mei Truxes was inspired to create a line of bags that evoked that same nostalgia and perennial style. It had to be right. Having spent six full years at Vogue, Yi-Mei felt she had been trained for this exact moment and was ready to bring her concept to fruition. After dedicating time to scouting out production, she eventually found a small group of artisan weavers in a village in Bali. And thus, Bembien was born.
At the forefront of Bembien's work is the mission to support these precious weaving communities. The core goal is to bring awareness to their communities and their craft, reaching a wider market on the other side of the globe.
The company ensures that 10% of all Bembien proceeds go back into their local community, working in partnership with the nonprofit Nest. This commitment helps sustain and uplift the weaving communities, ensuring that their skills and traditions continue to thrive.
