I'm a NYC-based multidisciplinary designer and artist with a professional focus in handbag design.

In my design work I utilize a unique skill set that includes expertise in handbag design, graphics and digital art. I continuously hone my skill set though my personal practice where I explore multiple forms of media from traditional painting in oil and gouache to digital animations, making plushies, and experimenting with unique materials such as Lego© building blocks to create handbags.

My aesthetic regularly references surrealism and camp, and has recurring themes of subversive feminism, nostalgia, and absurdism. I adapt these themes into whimsical and playful storytelling in my commercial products that convey the client’s brand codes and legacy while invoking my interpretation and influences. 

I’ve worked for brands including DKNY, Coach, Betsey Johnson, Disney x Danielle Nicole, Ralph Lauren and Charlotte Ronson. My industry work has walked down runways during New York Fashion Week, has been featured in Bloomingdales' window display, and has been sold by retailers such as Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue. My personal label, L. Yucel, has been featured in Vogue and Who What Wear, and has been available in boutiques internationally. 

My goal as an artist and designer is to explore and learn continuously, and simply to create the best work I can. I look forward to further collaboration with other artists and designers, and to keeping myself open to new possibilities. 

Contact: leylayucelcollection@gmail.com