In Conversation with Prene

What inspired you to launch Prene in 2015, and which customer need shaped the concept?

The idea behind Prene began on my daily commute to uni. I was 20, working a retail job I hated, studying a business degree (and ironically, failing), and every day I’d watch women place their designer bags on train floors or balance them on bathroom sinks. I couldn’t understand spending so much on a bag that ends up dirty and scuffed after a day in the real world. I wanted something stylish but practical — washable, lightweight, durable and functional. Real life is messy and fast; your bag should work with you, not against you. Stylish utility became the soul of Prene and still is today.

What are the non-negotiables every Prene design must meet before it ships?
We don’t chase trends or fads. Every Prene piece must balance fashion and function in a timeless way. It has to look good, but more importantly, serve a purpose — lightweight, durable, washable, with thoughtful pockets and structure that work in daily life. It also needs to feel unmistakably Prene: minimal, versatile and problem-solving at its core. If it doesn’t make someone’s day easier, it doesn’t get made.

What have been the biggest operational shifts as you’ve grown to a globally recognised brand while remaining independent and female-led?
The biggest shift has been learning how to run a small business that does big things. My team is tiny but mighty, still family-run and fully remote. I’ve learnt to lean into outsourcing, automation and AI. Everyone treats the business like their own, which is why we can scale while staying lean. Remaining independent lets us move quickly and stay intuitive. Being female-led and working with an incredible group of women has shaped a culture that’s collaborative, grounded and connected to our customer.

Regarding your collaboration with Rebecca Judd for the 10-year collection, what was the creative brief you gave yourselves for this release?
This collaboration felt full-circle. Rebecca was our first collaborator in 2019 with The Bec Bag, which went viral and became one of our most recognisable designs. She embodies the Prene woman: a mother, an entrepreneur, stylish, active, endlessly on the go, yet unafraid to be real and vulnerable. Reuniting for our 10th birthday felt natural. The brief was to create pieces that reflect where we are now, what Bec needs in her everyday life, and what our customers value most: function. That’s how The Era Bag and Insulated Cosmetic Case came to life — pieces that look beautiful but work even harder.

If we were to revisit this conversation at the 15-year mark, what do you hope we’d be celebrating?
I hope we’ll be celebrating Prene’s global growth, thoughtfully replicating our Australian success in the U.S. and Europe. More importantly, I hope we’ve grown with integrity — staying independent, female-led and purpose-driven. If we’re still making products that genuinely make life easier, while expanding in a way that feels aligned and authentic, that’s real success.

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