Founder Spotlight: Christine Rochlitz of LUCKYNELLY
Meet Christine Rochlitz
Some LUCKYNELLY handbags list for more than €2,000, and founder Christine Rochlitz says one of her experimental materials started out as cabbage. She often begins that kind of material work in her own kitchen.
The Berlin brand is bootstrapped, and Rochlitz is now open to meeting a strategic investor for its next stage.
Company:
LUCKYNELLY® – BERLIN
LUCKYNELLY – BERLIN is an independent vegan luxury brand founded in 2012, creating distinctive handbags and objects at the intersection of fashion, art and material innovation. From plant-based next-generation materials to experimental in-house developments, the brand explores how luxury can be reimagined without animal-derived materials.
Location:
Berlin
When did you launch the business?
October 2012
Startup Stage?
Bootstrapped
How did this business start?
LUCKYNELLY began in Berlin in 2012, inspired by my deep love for animals and named after my dog Nelly and my rescued rabbit Lucky. As a fashion designer, I wanted to create luxury handbags without using animal-derived materials, at a time when vegan fashion was still far from mainstream. What started as a personal conviction grew into an ongoing exploration of craftsmanship, plant-based materials and new possibilities for luxury.
What's one thing you're proudest of so far?
I'm proudest of having stayed true to the same vision since 2012: proving that luxury, craftsmanship and innovation do not require animal-derived materials. Over the years, this has grown into more than 200 original handbag designs, experimental materials and artistic projects, while LUCKYNELLY has been recognized internationally through awards, fashion weeks and publications including British Vogue, ELLE and Harper's Bazaar.
What's been the most surprising or challenging part of building this business?
One of the biggest challenges has been pushing vegan luxury forward at a time when high-quality animal-free materials were still extremely limited and often not taken seriously by the traditional fashion industry. Staying independent while continuously experimenting with new materials, developing prototypes and maintaining a high level of craftsmanship has required a lot of persistence, but it has also become one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
What do you bring to this community, and what are you hoping to find?
I bring more than a decade of hands-on experience in vegan luxury, material innovation and building an independent brand from the ground up. I'm excited to connect with founders, material innovators and like-minded partners, and I'm also open to meeting a strategic investor who shares our long-term vision and can help take LUCKYNELLY into its next stage of growth.
What's something people would be surprised to learn about you?
People are often surprised to learn that I don't just design handbags; I also experiment with developing my own materials. I've created experimental plant-based materials from ingredients such as berries, citrus fruits and even cabbage, often starting with experiments in my own kitchen before turning them into fashion and art pieces.
Anything else you'd like to share?
LUCKYNELLY has recently entered a new chapter with a complete relaunch of the brand and website, which I designed and built myself to bring more than a decade of design, material innovation, craftsmanship and artistic work together in one immersive world.
I'm especially interested in meaningful collaborations with material innovators, retailers, media and partners who share our vision for a more progressive form of luxury.
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