YOWIE Founder Shannon Maldonado Collaborates With Heritage Brand LeSportsac – Essence

Shannon Maldonado was cutting her teeth at brands like Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger for years before launching her boutique hotel, YOWIE, in 2016. In the heart of Philadelphia’s Queen Village, YOWIE is the coolest hotel and cafe that features clothing, homeware, footwear, and books to pursue and shop from. 

Now, after a few years of developing a name for herself and her business, Maldonado is returning to her design roots with this collaboration with LeSportsac, a heritage brand that the founder always dreamed of working with. The collection debuted three varieties of bags and totes to encompass YOWIE’s ethos of playful, vibrant, and modern design. The first drop is a fiery red oversized bag and a lime green mini-crossbody. Nine bags in total will have been released after a few more drops throughout the rest of the year into the fall and winter. The black drawstring mini bag just keeps selling out with every restock. 

“It’s a dream to work with LeSportsac,” says Maldonado in a statement. “For this collection, I drew inspiration from the iconic silhouettes of the 90s, but reinterpreted them with LeSportsac’s clean lines and everyday functionality in mind. LeSportsac evokes a sense of nostalgia for my childhood like no other brand. We want this generation to feel that same heartfelt connection with the Yowie collection.” Maldonado bought her favorite LeSportsac bag in college, which was the Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B handbag.

It was a natural progression for Maldonado to enter the fashion space after being in the home design world for a few years prior. You can thank her time at other heritage brands, such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, for giving her such a good eye. When walking into YOWIE, it’s apparent immediately that intention goes into every detail, down to the books and magazines on display.

“LeSportsac has a long history of collaborating with creatives, and Shannon, an incredibly talented and positive visionary, is a natural continuation,” said Thomas Becker, LeSportsac’s COO, in a statement. “Jack Carlson from Rowing Blazers introduced her to us and we know from our first conversation she was a perfect fit. We’re thrilled to work with her and launch this project during our 50th Anniversary year.” 

Shop the ongoing collaboration between YOWIE and LeSportsac on lesportsac.com, with prices ranging from $95 to $195.