Latest news with #MaisondeSabré
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
These Dentists Launched A Multi-Million Dollar Luxury Accessory Brand
Zane and Omar Sabré of Maison de Sabré. Luxury fashion accessories is a competitive space where veteran entrepreneurs usually fare better than novices. When the Sabré brothers Omar, 34, and Zane, 31, launched their leather-based brand, Maison de Sabré, they had no direct experience. Instead, the siblings were in dentistry, and the enterprise was fashioned as a means to an end during a difficult family crisis. This alone makes their brand story unique. Its ascendant success since its founding in 2017 makes it a luxury start-up fairy tale. Now, the Sydney, Australia-founded brand with global operations—whose founders were featured on the 2020 Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list for Retail & Commerce—is expanding its US distribution and gaining market share with its value-centric luxury offerings. FOUNDING IDEA Maison de Sabré aims to address the accessory needs of the professional lifestyle. Initially, the brothers' calling was dentistry, with the older brother, Omar, heading to Australia first to study. Zane followed, and during his studies, the brothers' father was diagnosed with leukemia, and the family's education funds were refocused on the elder Sabre's care. In a spark of inspiration, the young dentist and the dental student devised a plan for a business to fund Zane's remaining studies. What they lacked in experience, they made up for in determination. Their father's words also fueled the project. "Our father is a businessman in the automotive industry who worked with his hands. He wanted us to work with our minds, and constantly said we should do something scalable, which today means online," Omar recalled. "From a product perspective, we were looking for something we could sink our teeth into," he added, no pun intended. A leather goods idea presented itself, along with the not-so-obvious synergies between the two. "Coming from dentistry, we had a transferable skillset. We learned material physics, biochemistry, natural forms, and functions. We studied the art of the smile and its composition. Everything was studied at fractions of a millimeter and microns. So, it was extremely detail-oriented," Omar continued. Bulgari and Cartier, whose less-touted colorful leather goods served as inspiration, influenced early pouch and card holder prototypes but the duo was not enthused at the result. Noticing a Louis Vuitton trunk phone case on a stylish customer at Sydney café, the older Sabré had the a-ha moment to design a leather phone case, which in 2017 made them among the first to market for the elevated smart phone case. With Omar on the creative and design side and Zane on the sales, finance, distribution, and marketing side, the family members had complementary skillsets beyond their dentistry profession. SPREAD INFLUENCE From its inception, the product was aimed at fashionable young female professionals, aged 25-35, described as 'aspirational and inspirational'. As the brand expanded into categories such as handbags and luggage, it spoke to their fast-paced, on-the-go careers and personal lives, offering a product that is both smart and playful. A model shows off key Maison de Sabré styles. "We built a website on a budget, with zero marketing funds. But we had a product and an Instagram account, so we reached out to 200-300 influencers a day, seeding a highly visual product to them. About a third of them responded, and 10 percent of those posted, building a following organically. By the end of the first year, we had established a network of 5,000 influencers and generated $2 million in sales. This allowed us to invest in paid marketing and hire a team to manage the influencer program and customer care, which helped drive the brand," Zane explained. "We did this working part-time as I was still finishing dental school, and Omar was practicing as a dentist. Everyone said it's all been done, but we did it," he added. The brothers pivoted into Maison de Sabré full-time, thus Zane has yet to practice dentistry. DTC SWEET SPOT The brand was humming along nicely as a direct-to-consumer business, as the brothers built their own supply chain, sourcing leather that could be used on everything—from the original phone case to the bags and small leather goods, such as signature charms, that were added to the mix. A key leather supplier in the Netherlands also works with Louis Vuitton. "The leather has been designed and manufactured by our partner tannery to meet our standards. Any piece of hardware, including zippers and lining, is designed and manufactured by us. For instance, the zippers are a hundred percent brass that we designed ourselves to be extremely smooth on 2000 cycles of opening and closing," Omar said without a hint of irony for another dental parallel. The Mister Men and Little Miss bag charm collaboration from Maison de Sabré Sustainability was also a key component of the brand's core values; thus, material utilization is at an 85% rate. "Charms, zipper pulls, straps, interior pocket lining. We use every single piece of leather and try to find a purpose for it," Omar added. More eco-friendly fabrics have also entered the brand vocabulary. "Every year, we challenge ourselves to branch out into new materials. The year before last, we did a material called Resilon Nylon, a recycled nylon filament yarn made from fishing net, which we developed the previous year. In 2024, we introduced a new material called BioVeg™️, co-developed in Italy, which is a sustainable biopolymer plant-based leather alternative material," Omar noted. With production and distribution sorted, the brand was moving along nicely. But the brothers had bigger plans. "We got to a stage where we knew what our ambitions were: to be a true player in the luxury field," Zane said, adding, "There's only so much you can do with online business. You become limited and reach a ceiling. We knew what we were building, a real modern luxury Maison. For that, you need an in-store, touch-and-feel experience." CONCESSION STANDS Whether by intuition or data, the duo knew that a retail presence didn't necessarily mean traditional wholesale or free-standing vertical brand stores. Maison de Sabré's entry into the post-pandemic market opened up new avenues for them. With a concentration on Japan, Europe, and the US, the brand launched physical retail experiences. Maison de Sabré hosted pop-ups in galleries in the Shibuya, Tokyo district, and in Osaka, Japan The Maison de Sabré kiosk in collaboration with Nikki Beach Club. "We don't do any wholesale. We employ a non-conventional approach to retail, with our staff and stock, and don't allow retailers to place direct buys. Concession models allow us to control the narrative, which is important for a brand entering this retail experience. Hands-on allows us to control the storytelling to the customer," said Zane of the partnership that involves renting space from the larger entity, typically for a percentage of sales. Part of the story is the charms that customers select to personalize their bags. Thus, most concessions include their signature charm bar. Currently, growth is 200 percent YOY in the last 2 years, with a customer base in over 70 countries worldwide, whose loyalty and retention rate is 95 percent. Retail partners, which tend to secure an exclusive for a region, include Rinascente in Milan, Le Bon Marché in Paris, and a major British retail partner, which is soon to be announced. AMERICAN FOOTING "The Bloomingdale's flagship concession was meant to be a month-long pop-up, and it's been four months now, and it's still going strong," Zane pointed out, adding, "We aren't looking at expanding more now. We keep the selection and partnership quite tight to make sure we can mutually support each other to push it forward and maximize both customer bases to get the best outcome for the business." Online US partners include Nordstrom, Saks, and FRWRD, whose celebrity clientele led to organic placements through a VIP seeding initiative. Boldface names seen in the brand's offerings include Naomi Watts, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Selma Blair, and Emma Roberts, among others. Currently, Maison de Sabré has a team of approximately 60 people spread across Australia, Japan, France, Italy, and, most recently, New York, where Zane relocated at the beginning of 2025 to oversee the US strategy, as he recognizes the achievement of penetrating major retailers. "The leather goods space is a highly competitive market with a high barrier to entry. These departments typically have carried the same brands for five to ten years. Typically, not many enter the space that frequently," he added. COLLABORATIVE SPIRITS New raffia styles from Maison de Sabré. Just in time for summer 2025, a new material category, raffia, poised the brand for special concessions with the beach-y party franchise, Nikki Beach Club. Starting in St. Tropez, and expanding to Mallorca and Cannes, the hotspots will feature branded Maison de Sabré kiosks offering totes and specialized summer theme charms. Co-branded collaborations have also been a part of the burgeoning leather goods brand. Among them are Disney, Hello Kitty, and, most recently, Mister Men and Little Miss, which debuted in gallery pop-ups in Harajuku, Tokyo, and the Marais District of Paris. "Our collaborations are rooted in nostalgia as the main driving factor in how we decide who we collaborate with. We have been fortunate to receive inbound requests to collaborate," said Zane. For Disney's first collaborations, the brand produced Mickey & Friends—think Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto—across leather phone cases. The Hello Kitty collaboration debuted in conjunction with a "It's the first time that anyone has transformed the original artworks from the 1970s children's book into leather accessories. We reproduced them at a one-to-one scale into charms," noted Omar, adding, "In our generation, the child within us never really went away, which makes our generation special." FAMILY TIES Brothers Zane and Omar Sabré founded Maison de Sabré after first becoming dentists. While the brothers are rarely in the same place these days due to the multiple global projects and activations, the family's name is omnipresent on every product. It reflects the brother's commitment to quality. "I think people are tired of overpaying for luxury and understand that isn't what luxury is anymore. Consumers have been led to believe that luxury is a function of price, but in reality, luxury is a function of craftsmanship, material, and meticulous construction, which adds to its longevity. That's what true luxury is about," noted Omar. Zane summed up the endeavor: "Our success comes down to the fact that we have a timeless design and unwavering quality. The color is incredibly optimistic, newness comes at an amazing pace, and the cost is incredibly charming. It's a price point you can't beat for the value you get."
Fashion Network
08-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Maison de Sabré partners with Nikki Beach for European pop-up series
Leather goods brand Maison de Sabré has launched a new immersive retail concept in partnership with global lifestyle leader Nikki Beach Hospitality Group. The collaboration, titled "Sabré Solstice", brings the brand's latest limited-edition Raffia Collection to life in a series of luxury beachside pop-ups across Europe. The experience debuted on June 23 at Nikki Beach Saint-Tropez and will travel to Lucia Cannes from July 5 to 8, before concluding at Nikki Beach Mallorca from July 17 to 20. The Raffia Collection, handcrafted from natural raffia and paired with full-grain DriTan leather, embodies coastal luxury through a design-led, sustainable lens. Alongside the Raffia line, Maison de Sabré is introducing its playful SabréMoji Fruit Coin Purses, sculptural mini accessories made entirely from repurposed leather offcuts, and the popular SabréMoji Fruit Charms designed for styling and personalisation. 'This collection was always designed to be sensory and evoke feeling — from the scent of natural raffia to the texture of full-grain leather — and Sabré Solstice brings that vision to life,' said Omar Sabré, co-founder and CEO. 'We've always done things our own way — first, bold, and unexpected. Offline is our new playground, and we're applying the same relentless creativity that built our brand online. We don't believe in glass ceilings — we're here to disrupt the system and truly make our mark.' Timed with peak European travel season, the pop-up tour represents the brand's continued momentum in experiential retail and global expansion, with six pop-ups launched in the past six months across New York, Paris, Milan, Osaka, Harajuku, and Daikanyama. In the U.S., the brand has expanded into high-touch physical retail with more than 15 Charm Bar installations rolling out in Bloomingdale's stores nationwide, as well as continued partnerships with Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. The U.S. now stands as one of Maison de Sabré's fastest-growing markets. "Fashion is one of our six core elements and an important part of how we express the Nikki Beach lifestyle,' added Lucia Penrod, CEO, owner, and cofounder, of Nikki Beach Hospitality Group. 'We love partnering with brands that share our barefoot luxury spirit and global mindset. Maison de Sabré brings a vibrant energy to our summer season with a new experience created to inspire and connect.'
Fashion Network
08-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Maison de Sabré partners with Nikki Beach for European pop-up series
Leather goods brand Maison de Sabré has launched a new immersive retail concept in partnership with global lifestyle leader Nikki Beach Hospitality Group. The collaboration, titled "Sabré Solstice", brings the brand's latest limited-edition Raffia Collection to life in a series of luxury beachside pop-ups across Europe. The experience debuted on June 23 at Nikki Beach Saint-Tropez and will travel to Lucia Cannes from July 5 to 8, before concluding at Nikki Beach Mallorca from July 17 to 20. The Raffia Collection, handcrafted from natural raffia and paired with full-grain DriTan leather, embodies coastal luxury through a design-led, sustainable lens. Alongside the Raffia line, Maison de Sabré is introducing its playful SabréMoji Fruit Coin Purses, sculptural mini accessories made entirely from repurposed leather offcuts, and the popular SabréMoji Fruit Charms designed for styling and personalisation. 'This collection was always designed to be sensory and evoke feeling — from the scent of natural raffia to the texture of full-grain leather — and Sabré Solstice brings that vision to life,' said Omar Sabré, co-founder and CEO. 'We've always done things our own way — first, bold, and unexpected. Offline is our new playground, and we're applying the same relentless creativity that built our brand online. We don't believe in glass ceilings — we're here to disrupt the system and truly make our mark.' Timed with peak European travel season, the pop-up tour represents the brand's continued momentum in experiential retail and global expansion, with six pop-ups launched in the past six months across New York, Paris, Milan, Osaka, Harajuku, and Daikanyama. In the U.S., the brand has expanded into high-touch physical retail with more than 15 Charm Bar installations rolling out in Bloomingdale's stores nationwide, as well as continued partnerships with Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. The U.S. now stands as one of Maison de Sabré's fastest-growing markets. "Fashion is one of our six core elements and an important part of how we express the Nikki Beach lifestyle,' added Lucia Penrod, CEO, owner, and cofounder, of Nikki Beach Hospitality Group. 'We love partnering with brands that share our barefoot luxury spirit and global mindset. Maison de Sabré brings a vibrant energy to our summer season with a new experience created to inspire and connect.'
Perth Now
05-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Brothers turn side hustle into $100m empire
It started with a single phone case produced by two dentists. Now it is one of the world's fastest-growing luxury brands. Australian brothers Omar and Zane Sabré's 'side hustle' has evolved into Maison de Sabré, a homegrown luxury leather house now standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's most elite fashion brands. 'We're literally just two guys that started just thinking that they could do something. And then really actually followed through and did it … it's phenomenal,' Omar said. 'We really wake up every morning and just sort of pinch ourselves and be like, this is insane, you know?' Australian brothers Zane and Omar Sabré swapped their careers as dentists to build a global luxury powerhouse. Supplied. Credit: Supplied Walking away from careers as dentists, the brothers credit their rise to an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, from their very first meticulously designed phone case to today's collection of refined luxury bags. 'We were there to sort of shake luxury up and give it a new definition,' Omar said. What started as a direct-to-consumer business has grown into a full-scale luxury house, now sold in over 150 countries and stocked by retailers such as Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Ave, and Bloomingdale's – with revenue set to surpass $100 million for the first time in 2025. Omar Sabré said the brothers still pinch themselves over the brand's meteoric rise. Supplied. Credit: Supplied Launched during Zane's time at dental school, the brothers poured everything into their 'side hustle' and by the time Zane graduated, the brand had become their full-time focus. 'By the time I graduated, we made the decision to go full-time in the business and leave our dental careers behind us, which was back in between 2017 and 2018,' Zane said. 'From there, we only had one core product, which was this phone case, it was quite a meticulous phone case, we used … some of the best materials and the best craft.' In just eight years, the duo has turned their vision into one of Australia's most prominent fashion exports, proudly redefining what Australian luxury looks like on the global stage. 'We're able to export Australian creativity onto the world stage and I think that's something that's been really rare,' Omar said. 'It's something that we really take a lot of pride in … because when people hear about Australian leather goods, it's typically the first time they've ever heard that phrase.' The brothers say they are proud to represent Aussie creativity on the global stage. Credit: Supplied The bond between the brothers has been a quiet superpower behind the business – helping them scale fast without losing the trust, chemistry, and aligned purpose that comes from family. For Zane, working with his brother is the 'best thing in the world'. 'There is nobody else you typically really want to do it with other than your own blood, someone you've grown up with and have been joined at the hip ever since you were kids, 'On paper, it makes the most sense; in reality, it makes even more sense.' Maison de Sabré is taking on heritage luxury brands on their own turf. Supplied. Credit: Supplied Described as a quiet luxury 'disrupter', Maison de Sabré is set to become the first Australian brand to launch a multi-venue retail activation across Saint Tropez, Mallorca, and Cannes, a space long reserved for heritage fashion houses. 'I think we're on to something truly special,' Zane said. 'We're excited to represent a brand from Australia as two guys that really knew nothing about business or entrepreneurship or luxury or fashion eight, nine years ago, now being able to sit alongside some of the best in the world.'
AU Financial Review
25-06-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
How these brothers turned a side hustle into $100m
It's a bright, sweltering 33-degree Thursday morning in Tokyo and the Sabré brothers are preparing for the last day of a week-long luxury leather goods pop-up store in the iconic bustling Shibuya district. The ephemeral storefront is the culmination of months of planning – and a $100,000 investment – and includes a gallery wing as well as an exclusive invite-only workshop space where Japanese superfans can fashion their own bag under the watchful guidance of Maison de Sabré master leather craftsman Thomas Maurice.
