Get to know the London brand and its China-born founders.
On coming across the brand Mi Bolsa – which simply translates to ‘my bag’ in Spanish – one might assume that its roots are firmly European. In reality, the accessories line has come about thanks to a happy clash of cultures between China-born siblings Mikayla and Alex Doo and their love of London design and Spanish style.
“My brother Alex and I both came from very different worlds, career-wise – I was in finance in London, he was in resort development in South Korea – but we were both raised in a very creative household,” says Mikayla, who heads up the business side of the brand. “During the pandemic I realised that I wanted to create something more personal, something that connected people to culture and emotion rather than just another logo on a bag.”
So in 2020, Mi Bolsa came to fruition. The collection falls somewhere between trend-driven and timeless – its staples are chic totes, elegant crossbody bags and classic top-handle designs. “I’d describe our aesthetic as modern minimalism with a touch of warmth,” says Mikayla. “The London influence keeps things elegant and structured, while the Spanish side brings vibrancy and playfulness. What’s really important to us is that our pieces feel current, but they’re also designed to be timeless – bags you’ll want to reach for season after season.”
The timeless element is only one of the ways that Mi Bolsa encourages its customers to shop consciously – it is strict when it comes to leather sourcing, too. The founders made the decision to source its leather only from Leather Working Group gold-certified tanneries, though Mikayla admits that the process was a steep learning curve.
“I had always been a bag lover, but I’d never looked into where the leather actually came from or how big the environmental differences could be from one tannery to another,” she says.
“When we decided to build Mi Bolsa, I threw myself into research – speaking to suppliers, visiting factories, reading about industry standards, and even consulting sustainability experts. That process was eye-opening. I learned how critical traceability and certifications are, not just for product quality, but for the environment and the people behind the craft.”
She adds: “We eventually chose to work exclusively with LWG Gold Certified tanneries. For us, that certification was non-negotiable – it meant that the tannery had been independently audited for environmental performance and ethical practices. Beyond the paperwork though, we visited and met the teams ourselves. We wanted partners who shared our values of transparency and respect for the craft. These tanneries give us the balance we were looking for: beautifully soft and durable leathers, but produced in a responsible, forward-thinking way.”
Today, Mi Bolsa is thriving. The brand recently opened its flagship London store in Westfield White City, with bestsellers such as the ‘London’ and ‘Monaco’ collections flying off the shelves – and its bespoke bag-building service popular, too.
“Looking ahead, we’re expanding further in London, with eyes on Covent Garden and King’s Road, and we’re also working on some very exciting international projects in Asia,” says Mikayla. “We’re also exploring footwear in the near future, which feels like a very natural extension of what we do. It’s a really exciting chapter for Mi Bolsa.”
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