WHO WE ARE
Soho Francotte
Founder of Lubay - Belgium
THE NAME
Lubay comes from there
I was born in Manila, in the Philippines. Both my paternal and maternal families are Kalinga. Adopted in Belgium, this is where I grew up, studied, and built my work. The name Lubay is Kalinga. It has always sat alongside « made in Belgium ». Both are true. Both are me.
BACKGROUND
Philosophy, stage, then studio
I studied philosophy at university. Ten years performing with Coffee Or Not, a Belgian music project. Those years shaped a way of working: think before making, test, return to what matters.
In 2021, that approach found a new medium: the bag. An object to design, to make, to own entirely.
WHY VEGAN
A personal choice
I don't consume animal-derived products. It followed naturally that the bags I make would do the same. This isn't a marketing position, it's simply who I am, translated into what I do.
Discovering European vegan next-gen materials, Leap® and Grape Skin®, confirmed that this consistency was achievable without any compromise on form or structure.
THE PRACTICE
One person. The full scope
Since 2021, I handle every step: designing lines and volumes, making each piece in the studio-workshop in Baillamont, art direction, photography, copy, a website in four languages, press relations.
This isn't a selling point. It's a deliberate constraint: every decision is made here, tested here, adjusted here.
RECOGNITION
Without seeking visibility at all costs
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Certified Artisan label – Belgium (national accreditation),
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Jury’s “Coup de Cœur” Prize – Vitrine de l’Artisan (2022),
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VOGUE feature (print + digital, 2024).
