How everything started

Growing up in the 7th district, Ina Kent began working with arts and crafts right after school. She opened her first studio in her twenties in Vienna Mariahilf. She took on individual commissions such as instrument bags, reupholstering antique furniture or even new seatings for a Viennese museum. Her portfolio at the time also included small leather accessories as well as her first bags, which were sold at arts and crafts markets and in museum shops like the "Museum of German and Austrian Craft" in New York.

With the proceeds, Ina Kent could pay the travel expenses and residencies abroad. In addition to her artisanal activities, she pursued her interest in nutrition and health and began studying nutrition science at the University of Vienna. During the diploma preparation phase, she became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter in 2003. Ina interrupted her studies and devoted her professional life exclusively to her arts and crafts work. In 2007, she eventually founded her eponymous bag brand and opened her first store in Vienna's Neubau district.

Back in 2008, Ina Kent exhibited her work at the "Blickfang" fair in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Gradually, she presented her collection to an international audience at different fairs, such as the "Premiere Classe Paris", "Premium Berlin" or "Mipel Milan". In 2011 the move to the larger store in Siebensterngasse followed, four years later she opened a second store in Neubaugasse - both located in Vienna's 7th district.

Meanwhile, she also sells her bags through B2B distribution channels as well as the online store launched in 2013 – and relaunched at the end of 2020 –  in over 50 countries. From the very beginning, Ina Kent puts versatility at the center of her creations. Durability and social responsibility are particularly close to her heart. That is why she has always focused on responsibly produced, timeless, and equally modern design that can be worn with great joy after years.

The sweet16 collection, available from April 2023, ties in with the one style that has been here from the very beginning: The simple everyday bag MOONLIT ed.1, which has been part of the standard collection for 16 years, appeared in over 200 colour and leather variations over the years and has become an absolute top seller. As part of the sweet16 collection, MOONLIT ed.1 appears as a limited edition in the colour variations metallic dark anthra and the vegetable-tanned eco buffalo black – a reminiscence of the early days of the brand and forever favourites metallic anthra and pure black.

The edgy ball chain accessory BALL'N'CHAIN ed.2 is a reinterpretation of BALL'N'CHAIN ed.1, which was first launched in 2011. The sweet16 version appears in a combination of vegetable-tanned vacchetta leather and silver ball chain details as well as a newly designed carabiner ring.