“What I would tell anybody starting out in fashion is to have that one item” that becomes a strong, singular hit, Larian says. (On Wednesday Larian has also introduced new items that riff on the aesthetic of the Ark (like an Ark-shaped earring), which have sold well, as well as two new bag styles that have evolved the sculptural motif of its signature product, the Lilleth (which debuted in spring 2017) and the Luna (which was introduced for fall 2017). As for the "Cult" moniker, it’s a bit aspirational (and a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts): “Every great brand is cultlike, in attracting like-minded people.”The success of her earliest, almost accidental signature headpieces had to do with branding and elevating a simple concept: “We were the first to brand the flower crown; I didn’t invent the flower crown, I didn’t reinvent the wheel, but I was the first to do it as a really beautiful, handmade, luxury piece," she says. Though the Ark bag was still a ways off, “that’s when I think the Cult Gaia brand’s DNA was solidified: creating pieces that are elegant, classic, really attention-grabbing, and a little out of the ordinary.

The cornerstone of Cult Gaia's DNA has been forged with the ideal of creating Objets d'Art that make you look twice. The gamble, of course, is figuring out (or stumbling upon) that unicorn of a best-seller. Sales of the Ark bag tripled from 2016 to 2017, and it accrued a wait list of more than 1,500 people, according to Larian. “Fake it till you make it.”She’s also had to contend with copycats of her It Bag, be it fast-fashion brands or other indie designers. Created in 2012 by Jasmin Larian, Cult Gaia designs beautiful heirloom pieces that will live in your closet forever.

(Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images) She can’t pinpoint one particular moment or celeb spotting that changed everything, though the brand did have a few in 2016, including “People loved it, but no one felt like they could pull it off until they started seeing it a lot on social media,” Larian says. "It’s me, Yasmin! The Ark was the very first bag she ever created, in fact, and the brand itself came about "by accident," in her words. Free shipping and returns on Cult Gaia Mini Astraea Leather Tote at Nordstrom.com. The thing about the Ark bag is that it dominates an outfit without taking over. These have also been big sellers for Cult Gaia, though not of the magnitude of the Ark’s success. Now celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus and Kendall Jenner wear her silk flower crown. In the short time since Cult Gaia's Ark bag has been released, it's been impossible not to scroll through street style photos and witness the iconic, structured bag on stylish women in Paris, Milan, New York and even Stockholm. And patience is key.The Full Story Behind Fashion's Favorite—and Most Affordable—'It Bag'A weekly guide to everything you should add to cart, but haven’t yet.Rachel Brosnahan Talks About Being Called "Not Funny" Before Her Marvelous Mrs. Maisel RolePARIS, FRANCE - JULY 04: A guest wearing a Gaias ark bag by Cult Gaia outside Ulyana Sergeenko during Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017-2018 : Day Three on July 4, 2017 in Paris, France. Created in 2012 by Jasmin Larian, Cult Gaia designs beautiful heirloom pieces that will live in your closet forever. “I want to make this a true lifestyle brand, one iconic piece at a time.”And yes, those pieces may well be bags: “Product is queen for me, and I love the development process: It takes so long to get it right, and it’s so gratifying when we have something that I feel like we really nailed,” she says.While the Ark’s success was a fluke, to a degree—or, at the least, a slow-build process—she underscores the importance of quality, not quantity. Find Cult Gaia Stockists online - use our definitive list of retailers, featuring the best designer men's & women's stores in the UK, USA, Canada & Europe. I'm very sensitive to others' feelings - and my friends say sometimes I'm a little too sensitive about myself. I might be shy, but I really love being on stage and singing my heart out!" Pieces should be perfectly imperfect and need to be nuanced to be beautiful, like nature, no two things are ever the same. The cornerstone of Cult Gaia's DNA has been forged with the ideal of creating Objets d'Art that make you look twice. “For me, chaos is a creative force: I think everything beautiful in the world is made of chaos,” she explains.