Meet Our Founder
It all started with a moment of everyday chaos that changed everything.
I was standing in my hallway, running late, with my nine-month-old daughter, Poppy, on my hip, desperately searching for my keys. I kept digging through my handbag. And digging. And digging. Every woman knows this dig. Eventually, I surrendered and dumped the entire contents of my handbag onto the hallway floor. Standing there, looking down at the chaos of my life scattered across the floor, it hit me. I’d spent a decade designing handbags for some of the world’s leading brands, and I couldn’t even find my own keys. In that moment, I knew I was going to start my own handbag brand. I became obsessed with all those little moments of friction that made women’s lives harder than they needed to be. And I knew I could solve them.
Poppy & Peonies started in my basement. I had no money and no idea how to start a business, but I knew exactly what I wanted to create. From day one, we listened to our customers. What they loved, what frustrated them, and what they wished existed. Their feedback helped shape our products, and together, we built something bigger than a handbag brand: a community of women who believed in what we were creating. Today, Poppy & Peonies is a nine-figure handbag and accessories brand, built without outside investment, with millions of bags sold. But the belief that started it all hasn’t changed.
Our Brand
True luxury is one less thing to think about.
We believe a great handbag should do more than look good. It should make your life easier. At Poppy & Peonies, we obsess over the moments everyone else overlooks. The 60 seconds spent digging for your keys. The tangled cords at the bottom of your bag. The water bottle that spills all over everything. The lipstick you can never find. We design beautiful handbags and accessories to solve these everyday frustrations, with clever compartments, thoughtful organization, and little details that make a big difference.
Because when everything has its place, everything else feels a little easier.
Sustainability
We believe we have a responsibility to care for our planet and protect it for generations to come. That means looking after our environment, protecting the animals we share it with, and making choices that reflect what matters to us.
We love animals, and we believe fashion should never come at their expense. That’s why every Poppy & Peonies handbag and accessory is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and PETA-approved.
We also believe in giving materials a second life. Our bag linings are made from recycled plastic bottles, and when it comes to packaging, we skip the plastic, ship in recycled cardboard, and use compostable and biodegradable materials wherever possible.
We’re committed to finding new ways to reduce our environmental impact, because caring for our planet today means protecting it for generations to come.
Impact
A little love goes a long way.We’ve always believed that building a successful business means having the opportunity to do something good with it. At Poppy & Peonies, giving back is close to our hearts. As a Métis female-founded brand, we’re especially passionate about supporting Indigenous communities, empowering women, and helping children and families who need it most.
Over the past year, we’ve raised more than $150,000 for Indigenous charities. We’re proud to support organizations like the Georgian Bay Native Women’s Association, whose incredible work helps women and families access safe housing, counselling, education, mental health services, and support through some of life’s most difficult moments. We also support women’s shelters and community organizations that help women and children build safer, brighter futures.
But what makes this truly special is the incredible community of women behind Poppy & Peonies. Every purchase, every initiative, and every act of generosity reminds us that together, we can create something much bigger than a handbag brand. Together, we’re building something bigger than a handbag brand.