You’ve probably heard the news: mongramming has taken off – we want our name on everything. From our bed linen to our bags to our pyjamas, it feels like everything can now be personalised. Our totes are sticker-splashed thanks to Anya Hindmarch and our slippers are embroidered with our initials...
Just ask the co-founder of leather accessories brand The Daily Edited (tde.) Alyce Tran. Last financial year, the Australian business turned over just under $5 million – a staggering figure for a brand that is less than two years old. They’ve just relocated to a sleek new office space in Sydney’s Alexandria, where they do everything from warehousing to monogramming to content creation. Tran has always worked hard. Her parents migrated to South Australia from Vietnam in 1985 and operated a strawberry farm. Her first job was sticking labels on strawberry punnets at the family farm. Tran started her career as a corporate lawyer and left her day job last June to focus on tde. with fellow lawyer Tania Liu. The pair had originally started tde. as a fashion and accessories blog. It was a side project, which they worked on while climbing the corporate ladder. In 2011, they launched a clothing line, which Tran says “totally tanked”. tde. went back to being a blog. In 2014, they decided to test a different range of products. This time, they started small with three leather products: a pouch, a card holder and an A4 document holder. The pieces were promoted on their Instagram account and sold out within a couple of weeks. It went from there. While Tran is the first person to point out that monogramming isn’t new, what is different is accessories that are both luxurious and affordable. She noticed a gap in the market for satisfying the needs of people who wanted the level of customisation that is available at the luxury end of the leather accessories market, but who couldn’t afford it. The business has seen huge growth over the last year. In August, tde. partnered with Westfield to open a pop-up store in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall. Positioned between Zara and Nespresso, they reached their quota for how many monogrammed products they could sell in one day. For their recent spring/summer campaign, they enlisted Lara Worthington to be their new face. And in January, the brand launched its first permanent retail space within David Jones Sydney where their accessories are now monogrammed on the spot. Are you keeping up? This business is expanding – fast. We visited the stylish Tran at her new flower-filled HQ to find out more about life as the co-founder of one of Australia’s fastest growing accessories brand… Photography: Grace Alyssa Kyo
When I wake up...
I look at my phone as the plethora of emails and messages that have come in overnight jolt me out of bed.
Before I go to bed...
I read or watch a series that I have become addicted to, right now it’s House of Cards Season 4.
My approach to wellbeing is…
It is important but you can only do your best and prioritise a few things.
I treat myself…
Through retail therapy.
The biggest misconception about me...
Is that I know what I’m doing. I do not know what I am doing, I just try to make the most out of situations.
My role model is…
Jo Horgan, I love what she has done with the Mecca brand.
The definition of success is...
Being happy with yourself and what you are doing.
If I wasn't doing what I'm doing today…
I would probably be figuring it out.
My mother taught me…
To always work hard and not to be wasteful.
Happiness is...
Being content with what you have?! I don’t think I can define this generally.
My career path…
Has taken so many different turns. I started off as a judge’s associate thinking I would go to the bar, I then became a corporate lawyer and now I sell accessories!
The future of monogramming is…
Up in the air! It could be completely out of vogue by the end of the year or it could be enduring.
I’d describe The Daily Edited as…
A versatile and understated brand.
My biggest career highlight was…
Resigning from my job as a lawyer.
2016 is going to be the year that I…
Continue branching out of my comfort zone and try new things and bring new experiences to the customers and fans of TDE.
The TDE Daily ‘Women who Inspire’ project is about…
The women who inspire me and celebrating women who are excelling in all different industries.
Working with celebrities is…
Exciting. I am enamored by every celebrity I have worked with and the brands they have created within themselves.
Social media is…
A way of life. It has become so ingrained in a lot of people’s lives and I can’t really see how it will ever go away. I think it will keep evolving and brands must stay on top of these developments to remain relevant.
I’d describe The Daily Edited Woman as…
Someone who cares about quality, doesn’t mind if something is understated and not ostentatious and wants to remain on trend.
My time management secrets are…
To utilize all hours of the day.
Having my own business is…
Exciting, stressful, tiring.
Today I’m wearing…
Rag and Bone pants, Ellery top and Chanel flats. I’m all about the neutrals and I’ve recently ditched jeans for stretchy pants (is this the beginning of the end).
The last meal I ate was…
Peking duck (I am currently in China visiting our suppliers).
My style essentials are…
Modern classics I like to wear neutral colours, clothes made with high quality fabrics and I’m all about comfort (see comment on stretchy pants above – ha ha).
I relax by…
Hopping into a warm bath.
I get stressed when…
Things go horrifically off plan.
My new office is…
The perfect creative and practical space.
After I finish writing this I’m going to...
Have lunch, visit another one of our suppliers and check in on our offshore team.
I have been so in awe of Alyce Tran since first finding tde, and her style is so on point – life/career goals right here.
It’s incredible what she has achieved in less than two year – very inspiring! x