Designer
Studio Paquette
Developer
Present
Le Traveler and Grande Pouche
Bembien is an accessories and lifestyle brand rooted in timeless design and artisan craftsmanship. Each Bembien piece is made by hand in small, considered batches using techniques passed down through generations.
Our design ethos blends nostalgia with modern design sensibilities to create a collection of new classics meant to be cherished and collected for years to come.
Yi-Mei Truxes, Founder
OUR STORY
Bembien was founded in 2017 by Yi-Mei Truxes, Vogue’s former marketing director of six years. The brand launched with a collection of rattan basket bags handmade in Bali that quickly became a coveted it-bag of the summer, seen on Jeanne Damas, Zoe Kravitz, and Katie Holmes.
Today, Bembien’s collections span handbags, footwear, silk scarves, and small leather goods across a material palette of rattan, raffia, leather, recycled plastic, and silk.
Designed in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
HANDMADE
Each Bembien piece is handmade in small batches by artisans who are experts in their craft. One Bembien handbag takes up to 10 days to complete from start to finish. The time and attention to detail devoted to each Bembien piece ensures the highest standards of quality and care.
We are proud to produce our collections in ways that elevate heritage craftsmanship, support artisan communities, and give Bembien customers timeless products that endure in both style and substance.
Our collection of rattan, raffia, and elephant grass styles are woven by hand with locally sourced natural materials (excluding leather trim and base). It takes nearly one week to harvest, dry, and prepare materials for weaving in order to reach the desired pliability, durability, and color tone. The total process takes up to 10 days to complete one handbag.
Crafted from vegetable-tanned leather that develops a beautiful, vintage-feeling patina over time. Each piece is handwoven by artisan weavers and takes up to eight days to complete from start to finish. All of our leather bag styles feature an organic cotton lining, inner pockets, and either magnetic or zip closures for added function to an elegant form.
Summer-ready slides designed to complement any outfit. Easy to slip on and off, toss in your beach bag, and go. Features a two centimeter stacked heel to add a little lift. With lightly padded straps and a soft, padded sole for all day comfort.
Printed and hand sewn in Como, Italy at a 53-year-old, family-run mill. Classic, playful, and geometric motifs designed to feel equally relevant in the fashion of fifty years ago and fifty years from now. Our silk scarves tell the story of each collection through a more elaborate canvas of colors and patterns.
Mini Sling Rattan and the Ona Slides
Our mission is to help preserve, protect, and sustain the heritage craftsmanship of our artisan partners. Since day one, 10% of Bembien’s proceeds have been reinvested back into local, woman-led weaving communities around the world in partnership with Nest.