Jolana

August 10, 2025 / Photo: Courtesy of Jolana

Mother-daughter duo Lara and Olivia Tyler are creating chic, mindfully-made handbags that redefine luxury and combine their creative points of view.

Lara first began making and selling accessories in 2006 — starting with beaded belts and eventually expanding to elegantly embellished handbags. But the economic tumult from the 2008 global financial crisis led her to halt her business and focus instead on raising her family full-time. 

Years later, after her children had grown up and started pursuing their own passions, she decided to turn back to designing, this time with her daughter Olivia as a creative partner.

In 2024, they launched Jolana — which is a combination of Lara’s name and her children’s (Olivia, Jacob, and Nate.) 

The New York-based handbag brand features different signature styles made from responsibly-sourced leather and manufactured locally. They come in an array of pearlescent colors and include accents like studs, braids, beaded flaps and dual-toned chains. The brand’s inaugural design, the Liv Baguette is a modernized homage to early aughts it-bags with a buckle detail that is reminiscent of Lara’s original work. Other designs include the Larissa Satchel, which showcases pleated detailing, a removable shoulder strap, and a clever magnetic closure at the bottom to adjust its size. 

In keeping with the brand’s sustainable ethos, the duo practices small-batch production and works with local artisans and suppliers. With Lara’s design prowess and Olivia’s artistic eye as a cinematographer, they create pieces that tell a story and expand on what luxury accessories can be while creatively enriching the city that inspires their work. 

More about Jolana can be found here.