Watching Noel Veloz work, it’s easy to see why he has a reputation for being one of the politest vegan fashion designers in New York. He works relentlessly during our talk, sketching his latest ideas for his bags, but unlike many artists, he is never too busy to answer a question. He is as mild-mannered as people say, yet this man is the creator of one of the hottest accessories lines in fashion today, HEMINCUFF. His bags are purchased by celebrities like Fabulous as well as CEOs. After years of hard work, Noel Veloz has arrived. 

Noel seems to have been destined to be a designer. “I was surrounded by bags and small accessories when I was a little kid. My dad, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, had a sewing machine, and I used to hang around, watching him create clutches, backpacks, card holders – anything his clients wanted. The fun part was their reaction – when they saw my dad’s work, their faces really lit up. I was always really proud of him.”

Noel was so affected by his dad’s impact on people that he wanted to do the same thing. “I tried to make my own duffel bag when I was fourteen, but that didn’t turn out too well,” he laughs. “I still had a few things to learn. Eventually, I had to get a job, so I tried being a physical therapist and even a librarian, but that just didn’t do it for me.”

Something shifted when he began working in retail and interning in fashion. “It all slid into place. I was learning the business, and I was ecstatic. I knew I had found what I was meant to do because it never felt like work. On my way home from work every night, I used to walk alone from  51st Street to 72nd Street and study every luxury boutique store window. I learned so much about visual merchandising just by doing this.  I also watched documentaries about luxury bags and designers on YouTube. It was all I wanted to do.” 

Noel had found his passion, but he still faced a long road to achieving his dreams, which hit him hard sometimes. Noel is grateful for the advice he received from industry professionals. “Rebecca Minkoff assured me that if I persevered like she had, I would make it. Virgil Abloh and Heron Preston told me basically the same thing, so I took it as a sign that I needed to just gut it out and keep going.”

Noel did indeed continue on his journey to becoming an in-demand designer. Starting his company, HEMINCUFF, was thrilling, and he’s committed to its mission: to empower creative, adventurous professionals who aim high, focus on achieving the unachievable, and look elegant while doing it. “Our clients are at the top of their professions, either in the business or the creative world. One thing they really like about HEMINCUFF is that the work I produce is meticulous. Nothing that I make is rushed. I am setting the tone for the vegan luxe market and have plans to elevate it even more.”

Noel is passionate about HEMINCUFF’s focus on vegan products. “I saw videos of major luxury brands harming animals so that they could use their skins for their products. This is intolerable. I want HEMINCUFF to lead by example and create luxury products without harming any animals. We also help nature by putting greenery in the background of every production shot and by donating to onetreeplanted.org with every bag we sell.”

Noel has a clear vision for HEMINCUFF. “Picture this: HEMINCUFF’s entire line will be made-to-order. That’s cool enough as it is, but what really will take this over the top is that every client will receive a video of their bag being made. What that means is that everyone will have a luxury experience on my website. I’m also in the process of expanding and am interviewing craftsmen to be on my team.” 

He pauses, envisioning HEMINCUFF’s future. “I am also going to release the first-ever luxury vegan trunk. Now that’s exciting! It will be called the Paris Presidential Trunk. You can think of it as being like those trunks people used to travel with back in the 1800s when they traveled on ocean liners to see the world. Most importantly, though, every trunk will have a photo of my dad inside of it. My dad will always be an integral part of HEMINCUFF.”

Listening to Noel talk, it’s easy to believe that everything he is envisioning will happen.