Kunal Manglani on building Kiki from deadstock luxury leather

After more than 20 years in fashion, including roles at Kate Spade and Lululemon, Kunal Manglani wanted to build a brand differently. The result is Kiki, a New York-designed handbag label made from deadstock and overstock luxury leather sourced in Spain. “I saw an opportunity to embrace the high-quality leather left unused within the luxury fashion supply chain, giving these existing materials a second life,” Manglani told FashionUnited.

The handbag and accessories brand, which debuted in June, is handcrafted in Ubrique, Spain, a town with a long tradition of leather-goods craftsmanship. Its first collection focuses on sculptural, softly structured bags with playful proportions and curved silhouettes.

The launch was partly a reaction against how the fashion industry measures success. “I’d also begun to question the constant emphasis on growth, making more, and selling more, and wanted to explore a different way of building a brand,” Manglani said. Part of that, the founder said, meant bringing a renewed sense of joy and play into fashion.

Lessons from Kate Spade and Lululemon

Manglani’s career shaped that approach. “Kate Spade gave me a deep appreciation for the role of color, personality, and emotional connection in building a brand, while also shaping my understanding of the handbag business,” Manglani said.

At Lululemon, the founder learned to think bigger and gained a broader view of how brand, product and long-term strategy work together. One lesson carried across both roles: product comes first.

For the first collection, Manglani sourced Spanish grained calfskin through one of the country’s leading tanneries. The founder worked with leather that was already available, which made discovery part of the design process.

“Part of the magic is discovering what’s available and imagining what it could become: finding the perfect chocolate brown or an unexpected sky blue, then matching those materials to a design vision,” Manglani said.

The approach also shapes how Kiki plans its assortment. “As we placed production orders, we used the remaining quantities of certain leathers, which naturally means some colors are available in limited quantities,” Manglani said. Going forward, the brand plans to introduce styles and colors in smaller quantities, a model the founder describes as a chance to be nimble and inventive.

The debut collection

Each silhouette draws on a familiar indulgence:

Figue Mini Top Handle (438 dollars): a softly structured shoulder bag inspired by the curves of a fig. Bon Bon Mini Bucket (468 dollars): a confection-like bucket shape with playful gold hardware. Palma Mini Tote (498 dollars): a suede-lined tote with signature tie detailing, inspired by the delicate folds of a palmier pastry.

Manglani travelled to Ubrique multiple times over the course of a year, meeting factories, sampling and testing before choosing a partner willing to build a collaborative relationship with an emerging brand. The founder remains closely involved in every stage of production, from sketch to sample to finished bag.

A place in contemporary luxury

Kiki positions itself in the contemporary luxury segment and produces in small batches. “Priced below traditional luxury houses, our bags offer an alternative for women who appreciate quality and craftsmanship alongside distinctive, elevated design,” Manglani said.

The brand’s target customer is discerning, curious and confident in her own taste, with a style that balances polish with playfulness and classic pieces with expressive color. Kiki is building a community around that point of view through social media and its “Kiki girls.”