Telfar

Story & highlights

The Telfar Story: Redefining Luxury Founded in 2005 by Liberian-American designer Telfar Clemens, Telfar began as a fiercely independent, underground label born in Queens, New York. For over a decade, Clemens operated outside the traditional fashion establishment, creating clothes that reflected the diverse, queer, and creative communities of NYC. The brand's breakthrough came in 2014 with the creation of the Telfar Shopping Bag. Modeled after the dimensions of a standard Bloomingdale's paper bag and crafted from vegan leather, the bag was designed to be beautiful, functional, and—most importantly—accessible. Rather than catering to the exclusionary practices of traditional luxury fashion, Telfar built an empire on the powerful motto: "Not for you — for everyone."