PRISM Bags: Courageously Carrying On With Purpose

After meeting Rachel and Helen-Sage Lee, co-founders of PRISM, I'm convinced there is nothing the two can’t do. Sustainability trailblazers in the fashion industry who simultaneously advocate for gender equality and the termination of the pink tax, perhaps the greatest beauty in the identical twin business partners is that they cannot be bound to labels. 

The Lee Sisters: Founders and Creative Directors of PRISM

Best known for identifying the pink tax and beginning the Change.org petition calling for its elimination, Rachel and Helen’s journey advocating for gender equality in the workplace began during their sophomore year at UCLA. Traveling all over the United States, the activists gathered over 40,000 signatures, all the while remaining committed to identifying and breaking down the embedded persistence of gender inequality based and bred in higher level law. 

Traveling all across the United States on busses, trains, planes, and cars to testify at one legislative hearing after another, the two came across a serious issue of storage. Lugging their Kate Spade totes, Trader Joe's grocery bags, and Dora the Explorer backpacks on every mode of transportation they encountered, the sisters soon realized that their luggage lacked the flexibility and ease that shouldn’t have been so difficult to find. There was no proper space for their laptops, pens, and never-ending pile of papers. Becoming frustrated with their inability to find one bag that worked to carry all of their necessities, the Lee sisters realized there was a larger problem at hand: why couldn’t they find a nice, visually appealing, functional bag that could accomplish the needs of the everyday working woman? Like the self-starting team they are, the sisters decided that if they couldn’t find the perfect bag in stores, they would have to create it themselves. With that, PRISM was born: A functional, easy, sustainable, and attractive bag that works as hard as women do. 

Emblem 2-1 Convertible Bag in Midnight

After graduating from UCLA in June 2019, the Lee sisters officially incorporated the PRISM brand that July. In creating the PRISM bag, there were two main features the Lee sisters were most determined to embed into the PRISM framework: accessibility and sustainability. Familiar with the idea of budget travel, Rachel and Helen wanted to create a bag that spoke to the hard-working individual- one that doesn’t come from the extreme wealth that most designer bags are made for. “Origin is important, and it was important to us that we made PRISM accessible and affordable to the average person” they shared. The pair also chose to commit to a sustainable approach in the engineering of PRISM products, as they believe the future of fashion rests in the allegiance to environmentally sound means of production. Created from cruelty free, vegan leather, all PRISM products are made with 100% recycled materials and come wrapped in biodegradable packaging. “Traditionally, fashion has been more wasteful. It’s been more about producing and seeing if there is a hit rather than getting to know the customer. At PRISM, we take a different approach” the sisters agree. Through data-driven analysis and numerous stages of gathering user feedback, the two have found an economically accessible and environmentally friendly alternative.

Emblem 2-1 Convertible Bag in Whitesnek

Born out of devotion to the crusade for gender equality, PRISM is about giving back and serving the needs of the everyday working woman, and PRISM’s slogan, “carry on with purpose”, reflects just that; “Every time we do anything here at PRISM, we ask, ‘does this have a purpose? Is this idea serving a purpose?’ And if the answer is no, we reconsider our options,” Helen remarks. 

When asked what she hopes PRISM conveys to the consumer, Rachel’s answer was simple: “We want our brand to convey three things. First, sustainability can be accessible. The more people that can be a part of a movement, the more successful a movement will be. Second, PRISM bags are functional and aim to help people carry on with parts of their life- especially in the workplace- while feeling empowered internally. And finally, PRISM has a social component built into it.” The PRISM brand does take its corporate social responsibility very seriously; the brand makes an effort to work with women of color throughout the design process, they offer numerous avenues for community feedback, and their Resilient Collection partners with organizations around Los Angeles, such as the Downtown Women’s Center and the ACLU, to give back to the community. 

Emblem 2-1 Convertible Bag in Whitesnek

I asked the Lee sisters what the next step was for PRISM, and they said they have no plans of slowing down anytime soon: “We want to see PRISM grow in scale, and we want to create designs that are life altering. We want to change the landscape of women’s fashion, and we hope to bring new and fresh innovation to an industry that hasn't seen it”. Even better, the sisters are also expanding into the production of other sustainable products, such as their new biodegradable AirPod cases (launching TODAY- so be sure to check them out!) Links to purchase below:

https://www.prismbags.com/products/biodegradable-airpods-case

https://www.prismbags.com/products/matte-pink-biodegradable-airpods-case

Personally, I think PRISM has all of the makings for success, and although the fashion industry is anything but linear, I hope we continue to see PRISM’s tremendous growth over the coming years. Sustainable fashion is on the rise, and with passionate, ambitious, and bright young women dedicating their livelihood to making this transition possible, there might be hope for the longevity of the ever-changing industry after all.

For more on PRISM, be sure to check out www.theprismbrand.com, and check out their Instagram @prism.bags. Check out their e-commerce sales intern position below!

Grace Constable