Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover's handbags target professional women who routinely tote with them a day's worth of supplies, from laptops to gym clothes. Its products balance California Closets-like storage efficiency with the fashion sense that co-founder and creative director Jessy Dover honed while interning at companies like Coach and Dennis Basso. She was recruited as a co-founder of Dagne by Melissa Mash, CEO, and Deepa Gandhi, COO, who conceived the idea while students at Wharton. The three launched Dagne Dover with $200,000 from friends and family and have since raised more than $3 million from people like Warby Parker investor David Bell and Nicolas Topiol, CEO of luxury brand Christian Lacroix. Dagne Dover debuts this year on Nordstrom.com, Revolve, Equinox, Bandier, and Stitch Fix. Still, “we are a digitally native brand,” says Dover. Many decisions, such as an early move into leather, were driven by customer suggestions. That engagement guides the business as it chooses among opportunities for expansion. "There are so many ways we can interpret our mission of how to bring life to this," says Dover. --Leigh Buchanan