Homecoming Queen: Joanna Lau built NYC’s viral 9m-view work bags — and she’s finally brought them back to Singapore they were conceived

Long before she was running a multimillion-dollar handbag business in New York City, Joanna Lau was an 18-year-old junior college graduate working the front desk at the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. 

Between teaching golf to young kids and preparing to attend New York University’s Stern School of Business, she threw herself into hospitality to learn a fundamental lesson: how to treat people, serve, and build a brand. “It was crazy how much they taught me about sales and branding,” recalls the 38-year-old founder. “A lot of what I learned as a teenager stuck with me, because I’m still in a customer-facing role today.”

That same grounding in practical luxury, paired with an appetite for high-stakes risk, led Lau to swap trading foreign exchange and interest rates at J.P. Morgan and BNP Paribas for the competitive world of fashion entrepreneurship. 

A decade after growing her functional luxury handbag brand, JEMMA, in the Big Apple, Lau has brought her viral, multi-million-dollar brand back home to Singapore — the very place where the original idea was born.

In addition to a current pop-up at TANGS Orchard, JEMMA will host another showcase at Takashimaya department store from Dec 1 to Jan 11, 2026. In fact, the Tang Plaza event has turned out to be so well-received that it’s been extended until end of Feb, 2026, proving that an exceptionally smart, beautifully made work bag truly resonates with the local market.

The “man’s briefcase” dilemma

JEMMA was born from everyday frustration. Fresh from NYU, Lau interviewed for jobs on Wall Street when she noticed something unfair about how men and women were expected to dress for success.

“I was always a handbag girl, but when I graduated, I found that luxury handbags didn’t fit my work life,” Lau says. “I had to carry a heavy laptop and a paper resume folder for interviews. Those folders never fit into a regular, light handbag — they were always jutting out.”

Meanwhile, during her early career working for J.P. Morgan, she observed that her male peers carried sleek leather briefcases. When searching for functional women’s bags, she found only utilitarian, heavy, masculine options — essentially men’s bags shrunk slightly for women. “For me, that was unacceptable because I love fashion and aesthetics.”

Her interest in style, however, predated banking. She had attended a course at Parsons School of Design in New York before earning her degree and interned at Tommy Hilfiger during her school years. 

When Lau returned to Singapore to trade Asian foreign exchange and interest rates at BNP Paribas, she set out to address her lack of work bag options. And JEMMA, a portmanteau combining her own name with that of her sister Emma, whom she describes as “the quintessential corporate girl”, was born.

After taking several side trips to China and Italy to research factories and tanneries while based in Singapore, she returned to the US for work and took the ultimate plunge in 2016 — to begin making prototypes and test her concept in the world’s largest retail market. 

Quality and style without the four-digit price tag

Lau’s vision was clear: uncompromising quality under $1,000. She secured premium Italian calf leather and the same military-grade nylon Prada uses. She then partnered with specialised manufacturers in China, Thailand, and Vietnam — separating production by expertise.

“Some factories excel at leather because of how they cut and sew, while others specialise in nylon. We split manufacturing so every bag gets the highest level of craftsmanship,” she explains.

Instead of seeking investments, Lau bootstrapped the business using a few thousand dollars from her personal savings. She ordered a trial batch of just 50 bags for her signature debut model, the EMMA 37, selling to family and friends before gradually increasing production.

For years, JEMMA grew organically, recycling revenue to fund production runs. Then came the tipping point. A micro-influencer with just 2,000 followers at the time posted an unprompted TikTok review detailing how she used her EMMA Traveler 39. The video went viral, racking up millions of views globally (and reaching nearly 9 million to date), sending demand soaring.

Today, JEMMA counts high-powered executives, doctors, law associates, and notable figures among its devoted US customer base. A prominent Schwarzenegger famously bought 30 Birdie gym duffle bags as gifts for her family and staff, while her daughter, an equally well-known public figure, became a close friend and brand fan.

The anatomy of thoughtful design

What sets JEMMA apart in a crowded market is Lau’s relentless focus on real-world utility, where every pocket, zipper, strap, and seam exists for a purpose refined through years of direct customer feedback. 

The flagship EMMA collection serves as the ultimate workhorse for the modern professional. The two larger sizes, 37 and Traveler 39, accommodate 14- and 16-inch laptops respectively, and feature a generous interior layout designed to act like a “Marie Kondo for your bag”. 

Engineered for daily commutes and travel, they feature sturdy, flat top handles that rotate out of the way when slid under a plane seat or desk; numerous interior pockets; a removable crossbody strap; and an integrated clutch that detaches for quick lunch runs. A discreet quick-access phone pocket sits on the reverse side, and the Traveler 39 unzips at the base to effortlessly convert into a luggage sleeve that slips over suitcase handles.

The signature range has since spawned a vegan version of the EMMA 37, the EMMA 32 Petite (one of them in a gorgeous croc white Himalaya colour) that fits a tablet, as well as a dressy Mini version with a shoulder strap. 

Beyond the corporate purse, Lau’s attention to functional detail carries through to her broader offerings, which also range from totes to crossbody bags. 

Inspired by the vintage golf locker bags of her youth, the BIRDIE Gym Duffel is crafted from high-grade, water-resistant Italian nylon. Available in two sizes, it bridges post-workout mornings, desk-bound afternoons, and weekend getaways with an integrated laptop sleeve, a matching toiletry case, an easy-access back pocket, and a ventilated bottom compartment for footwear.

For hands-free days, the MAGGIE Crossbody Wallet offers a sleek, minimal alternative, cleverly fitted with dedicated card slots and an accessible phone pocket so essentials are always within reach.

“We take customer feedback to heart. If someone asks for a luggage sleeve or a magnetic stud to reinforce a handle, we engineer it into the next iteration,” adds Lau. “I view our bags almost like an iPhone: constantly evolving and getting better with every generation.”

Bringing the JEMMA world home

After its successful beginnings in the US, which currently accounts for 70 per cent of its customer base, JEMMA’s return to Singapore represents a full-circle moment for Lau.

“I feel like I’m finally bringing the absolute best version of JEMMA here. Ten years ago, the local landscape was different. Today, Singaporeans are deeply supportive of home-grown global brands, and they appreciate thoughtful design.”

Testing the local waters has already revealed intriguing nuances. While New York professionals lean heavily into monochromatic black leather totes, Singaporean buyers are drawn to vibrant seasonal colourways, lightweight fabrics, and versatile athleisure silhouettes like the BIRDIE.

“In New York City, people think about seasons — they carry dark colours in winter and lighter tones in summer. In Singapore, we live in a tropical, dynamic environment where women are active, casual, and open to pops of colour year-round,” she observes.

Lau is also setting her sights on Asia, using the Lion City as the springboard for regional expansion. The brand already has customers in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Australia, many of whom previously ordered directly from the US. 

Over the next one to two years, she plans to build on that demand, tailoring her approach to each market. A new Singapore warehouse will support the Asian business, allowing JEMMA to manage regional inventory separately from its US operations. 

Lau believes the timing now is right for the brand’s next growth phase, as a new generation of Asian multi-hyphenates comes into its own. Building successful careers, travelling the world, raising families, and pursuing their passions, these women have increasingly discerning expectations. They want beautiful design, premium quality, and practical functionality without having to sacrifice one for another.

As a mother of three-year-old twins, Lau knows these competing demands first-hand. Her own evolving lifestyle continues to inform JEMMA’s designs, from sophisticated work bags and sporty gym duffels to upcoming laptop-friendly backpacks. Whatever the occasion, her goal remains the same: to make life a little easier for women who have plenty on their plates.

“Women today aren’t just one thing. They are handling career, travel, family, and personal passions,” Lau reflects. “Our bags physically carry your belongings, but more than that, they free up your mind. When your bag is organised, you don’t waste time digging; you can focus on growing your career, being present with your family, and living life on your own terms.”