What does it really take to own a business in fashion? Many people think it’s as simple as designing a product, putting a price tag on it, and calling it a day. In reality, the process is far more intricate. While there is certainly a glamorous side to creating and showcasing products – whether it’s clothing, shoes, or handbags – the real work happens behind the scenes. Building a successful brand requires a strong team, attention to detail, adaptability, and learning from mistakes along the way.
Aislin Jesalin has learned and endured a great deal since founding Jesalin, a Mexican luxury handbag brand that grew from a New Year’s resolution into a thriving business.
Born and raised in Mexico, Jesalin began her career journey at Suffolk University in Boston, where she studied entrepreneurship. After graduating, she decided to move back home to Mexico. Jesalin has a deep appreciation for her home country, as well as its people and culture.
Growing up, Jesalin was surrounded by entrepreneurship. Her parents were business-oriented and instilled in her the mindset and determination needed to build something of her own. Before launching Jesalin, she had considered investing in an existing handbag business in Mexico. However, differences in management styles and company values ultimately led her to walk away from the opportunity.
Determined to create something that reflected her own vision, Jesalin made starting a business her New Year’s resolution for 2023. She wanted to build a brand she could call her own, one that she could dedicate herself to and grow through hard work.
Having already developed relationships within the handbag manufacturing industry, she was naturally drawn to the world of handbags, which ultimately became the foundation of her business.
Jesalin
(Heh-sah-leen)
A Mexican-based luxury bag brand specializing in handcrafted pieces made slowly with love, intention, and care — thoughtfully created by Mexican hands.
Behind Jesalin
Turning a vision into a product requires attention to detail and strong execution. Although Jesalin does not consider herself a skilled artist, she knows exactly what she wants. She often begins with ideas in her head and works closely with her team to bring them to life.
Over time, she has built strong relationships with the people she collaborates with, allowing her to clearly communicate her vision and determine what is realistically achievable. After discussing a concept, her team creates a paper sample, and the design process begins. Jesalin goes through multiple rounds of sampling and revisions until she is completely satisfied before moving a product into production.
Transparency is another key part of the brand’s identity, both internally with her team and externally with customers. Jesalin’s slogan, “Made slowly by Mexican hands,” reflects the values at the heart of the brand. The phrase highlights the craftsmanship, care, and intention that go into each handbag while promoting the principles of slow fashion.
Through social media, Jesalin gives customers a behind-the-scenes look at the production process. One particularly popular video shows an artisan using a drill while constructing a handbag, demonstrating the hands-on work required to create each piece. Content like this reinforces the brand’s commitment of thoughtful craftsmanship rather than mass production.
Production is another key part of the business, however, it is often one of the most challenging aspects of running Jesalin. Because Jesalin prefers to source materials from other small businesses, there are many factors outside of her control. A supplier may stop producing a specific leather used in a design, or delays can occur when workers are sick, on vacation, or leave their jobs.
While the artisans themselves are highly skilled and experienced, many having spent years perfecting their craft, the supply chain and logistics behind creating each handbag can be unpredictable. Managing these challenges while maintaining quality is one of the realities of producing luxury handbags through a small scale, artisan focused business model.
Building a Business
While creating a luxury handbag brand comes with production challenges, those are only one part of the entrepreneurial journey. Behind every collection are countless business decisions, financial investments, and obstacles that founders must navigate to turn their vision into a sustainable company.
One of the biggest obstacles Jesalin faced was her lack of knowledge about handbag production. While she had a vision for the brand, she had no prior experience with the technical side of designing and manufacturing handbags. That is why finding a team is so important.
While curating the right team is important, it but can be challenging. According to Jesalin, it can be difficult to find people who understand what you are trying to build and who genuinely believe in your vision. She is grateful to have a team she trusts and can work closely with, but building those relationships was not easy in the beginning.
When she first started, many people did not believe in what she was creating. Even sourcing materials was challenging. If she wanted to purchase hardware for her handbags, suppliers were often unwilling to sell in small quantities. Instead of selling her 50 pieces, many preferred working with brands producing at a much larger scale.
Besides production, branding is a significant part of starting a business. When asked about the biggest expenses involved in launching the brand, Jesalin pointed to the branding side of the business. Naming the company, registering the trademark, and completing legal and notary-related processes were all costly but necessary investments in establishing the brand’s identity.
When being a founder and creating a business, it’s important to accept change and pivot. As the business grew, Jesalin learned the importance of adapting to change. She explained, “As a business owner – or anyone in life – should be able to do is to pivot and accept change very fast and move forward with it.”
When Jesalin first launched the brand, all of her products were priced for the Mexican market. At the time, she never expected to sell handbags internationally. However, as the brand began attracting customers outside of Mexico, she had to reevaluate her pricing structure to account for new demographics, shipping costs, and tariffs.
“I’ve had to change pricing based on market, based also on what is costing us to make the product, but also the art behind making a hand made bag,“ she said.
Pricing was not only about covering costs. Jesalin also wanted to ensure that the artisans creating the handbags were compensated fairly for their time and craftsmanship. Because each bag is handmade and requires significant skill and attention to detail, she believes the people behind the products deserve to be recognized and paid accordingly.
“Giving back to those people (artisans who make handbags) is also something very important. That’s something that I carry very deeply in my heart because they’re Mexican people working with a cultural aspect that nowadays is basically dead, and I do like to give what they deserve to be given,” she said.
Social media has also played an important role in the growth of the brand. Beyond helping Jesalin reach new customers, it has also allowed the company to build meaningful relationships with its audience. Jesalin approaches the brand from the perspective of a customer and understands how valuable it is to feel connected to the companies you support. As a result, she actively engages with her community online and uses social media as a way to listen to customer feedback. Through those interactions, she continues to learn what customers appreciate, what they would like to see improved, and how the brand can better serve its audience.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Looking back on her journey, Jesalin emphasizes the importance of asking questions. According to her, there is no such thing as a dumb question when you’re learning. She admitted that when she was first building Jesalin, she wished she had taken courses related to fashion to better understand certain aspects of the industry.
She also stresses that running a business is a full-time commitment. While entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding, it also comes with challenges and responsibilities that don’t end at the end of a workday. Being mentally prepared for those realities is important, but she believes that being prepared comes through experience. Her advice is simple: ask questions, stay curious, and learn as you go.
For those interested in starting a business, Jesalin’s advice is straightforward:
“Just start, even if you’re not 100% ready, because you will never be 100% ready. Even if you’re scared, start.”
She also recommends surrounding yourself with people whose strengths complement your weaknesses. Building a strong team can help provide support in areas where you may lack experience. At the same time, she encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to stay true to their vision and remain focused on what they want to build.
Above all, Jesalin believes that self-confidence is one of the most important ingredients for success.
“The money side, the investment side is not even the biggest role. The role is you believing you are capable of getting there.”
That belief in herself is reflected in the passion she has for Jesalin and the experience she hopes the brand provides. Jesalin wants customers to feel special, confident, and elevated when carrying one of her handbags. She hopes they walk into a room feeling empowered, with a bag that makes a statement while reflecting their individuality.
What she appreciates most about her customers is their uniqueness. Rather than simply following trends, they embrace their own personal style. While each person expresses themselves differently, Jesalin’s handbags serve as a versatile accessory that can elevate and complement a wide range of looks.
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