It’s easy to assume that progenies of our favorite stars or celebrities are automatically destined for success; that with minimal effort and a family name, these children can easily work their way into positions that most would have to strive and struggle to obtain. This isn’t the case with every famous family. Tyler Alexandra Gallagher Ellis, daughter of fashion designer Perry Ellis and television writer and producer Barbara Gallagher, led a relatively normal life until 2011 when she founded her own line of women’s handbags. Christening the line Tyler Alexandra, she worked her way into fashion from the bottom up, hoping to achieve success without falling back on her father’s famous name. Five years later she has a beautiful line of unique handbags that are worn by global socialites and Hollywood’s hottest.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Ellis originally went to school for film and television, intending to follow in her mother’s footsteps. After graduating with a degree in communications from Boston University, she went back to Southern California with intentions of starting her career in Hollywood. After realizing her passions lie elsewhere, she moved to New York, took a job at Michael Kors on Madison Avenue and started working in fashion. “I interned with him dressing and styling the runway show which was amazing and they were just so inspiring,” she told JustLuxe. “They were just so real, it didn’t feel like the harsh scary fashion world.” After a few years in the industry she decided to start her own accessory line with little experience under her belt and only an idea of what she wanted to create. “Bold move, I know” she laughed. “You know what, go big or go home!”
And she did go big. Five years later Ellis is running a successful accessories company with clients from all over the globe. “I feel like I found a void. I feel like everyone carries the same bags, luxury bags—you’ve got Hermès, Celine, Chanel—and I wanted to create something new,” she explained. “I would be all over the world and it was like ‘yep, same three brands.’ So I wanted to start my own luxury line.” It’s this desire for something unique and exceptional that sets her line apart. Her brand embraces both luxury and functionality, consisting of bags crafted from exotic textiles and one-of-a-kind skins, which are simple and easy to wear. “I’m about functional luxury. Yes, I have an alligator bag, but I don’t want it just to sit on your shelf, I want you to use it like an everyday bag. All my bags have pockets, cross body straps—I try to make them as convenient and functional as possible,” she explained. “And each season I just try and tweak a little design, like adding an extra-long keychain so your keys are more accessible, but still with the luxurious craftsmanship of what I do.”
To elevate her everyday bag, Ellis uses some of the most unusual skins that we’ve ever seen. In addition to favorites like alligator, python and ostrich, she also designs with fish, shark skin and toad. “The first time I saw toad I had no idea what it was. I was like ‘wow, this material is so special and different’ and they were like ‘oh, it’s toad,’” she laughed. “And no one has ever guessed what material it is! I’ve literally asked every single person and no one can guess that it’s toad because it’s so beautiful and you think of toad, you’re like, ewww! But it has this unique texture, and I go by what I see and what I like and what I think is beautiful.” By using unique skins and unexpected materials she’s trying to create something special, an exceptional piece to add to your wardrobe.
Of course not every client is looking for a toad handbag, so Ellis tries to balance the aberrant with the traditional. “I like to choose simple not over-the-top shapes— classic, timeless—you know something that my granddaughter could wear and it would still be [in style],” she told us. “Of course I have the lizard and the alligator, but I like to choose skins that are treated differently so it’ll have a special sheen to it, or a two-tone, or something just out of the ordinary. But I do have the basics and I do a lot of bespoke so if clients want to order a black alligator, yes I can make it.”
For customers that want to customize their own Tyler Alexandra bag, Ellis offers a bespoke service that includes monogramming, customized hardware and made-to-order skins. While she does have a selection of swatches to choose from, some clients can be very particular about the material they’re looking for. “The weirdest [request] I had was this banana yellow alligator skin for this huge bag, and we had to go hunting. It was really, really hard to find. It was for a client in Dubai and it was for this large bag so we had to find a huge skin and it took us a while,” she explained. “We found it … I think it took us like six months to find. We got it and she was very happy when she received her bag; it was a lot of sourcing.” While not every customization is quite that demanding, she will acquiesce to specific requests for things like shorter or longer straps, or the addition of an inner pocket. “But my interior color is my signature blue so that remains in everything,” she added. In addition to Dubai socialites, she’s also a favorite of A-list celebs like Emily Blunt, Margot Robbie, Bella Hadid, Chrissy Teigan, Gwen Stefani and Reese Witherspoon.
Of course, it’s easy to have an in with celebrities when you’re the daughter of Perry Ellis, right? Not exactly. “I call it Tyler Alexandra because I wanted to do it on my own, and it’s my five year anniversary this year, but I chose that because I wanted to step away from that and also the fear of being in [my father's] shadow” she explained. Without directly using her father’s name, she pulled her way to the top, intent on creating a space for herself that set her apart and distinguished her as an independent creative. Now that she’s established herself, she’s trying to reconnect with her father’s roots. “I really wanted to build this on my own and now that I’m here I want to embrace him more. It’s been such a great process for me because people have come out of the woodwork and just reached out to me and tell me stories about him,” she said. “It’s been more of a personal journey for me rather than a business one.”
Now that she’s openly associated with her father’s famous name, she hasn’t seen much of a difference in how her brand is perceived. “I don’t think [the Ellis name] has hindered or really helped me that much, I mean maybe, yes, I can get a meeting with someone, but it’s really about the product in the long run,” she explained. “But personally it’s been such a growing experience for me and just learning more about my father because he passed away when I was 18 months old so I never really knew him. My mom raised me in LA away from the fashion world, so it’s not like I was really involved in it. I was kept away from his world and now it’s just really expanding and it’s really exciting for me. It’s been a journey and it’s been so rewarding; I’m very lucky.”
Just after celebrating the brand’s five year anniversary, Ellis is looking toward the future of the label with optimism. She already has a large assortment of accessories she’s currently designing for upcoming collections. “I would like to become a household name and expand into more accessories. I’m working on a dog bag right now—I have three dogs, and I’m like ‘okay, it’s time’—and a baby bag. And my husband, who gets a little jealous, is always asking, ‘Where are my men’s bags?’ So I’m working on a briefcase and a couple of totes for guys,” she laughed. “I’m just expanding in the accessory world.” But would she follow in the footsteps of her father some day and create a full collection of ready-to-wear? “Never say never. As of now I want to focus on leather goods, but, you know, the sky’s the limit, right?”
