WHO WE ARE
Soho Francotte
Founder of Lubay - Belgium
THE NAME
Where Lubay comes from
I was born in the Philippines. Both my maternal and paternal families are Kalinga. I was adopted at six months old and grew up in La Louvière, Belgium. I studied in Louvain-la-Neuve and later lived in Brussels before moving to Baillamont, in the Namur Ardennes.
After years of searching, I reconnected with both sides of my biological family in the Philippines. The name Lubay was suggested by an aunt and an uncle.
This Kalinga name is always accompanied by the words “made in Belgium”. It reflects my origins, while “made in Belgium” refers to the country where I grew up and where Lubay was founded.
Both are true. Both are me.
BACKGROUND
From music to design
After studying philosophy, I spent ten years performing with Coffee Or Not, a Belgian music project with which I toured across Europe.
When touring came to a halt in 2020, I took a different direction. I began studying pattern making and sewing, two disciplines that had interested me for a long time, and gradually focused on bag design.
In 2021, I founded Lubay. Since then, I have developed every model myself, from the initial sketch through to making each bag in Belgium.
responsibility for.
THE DESIGN
Form and function
A bag is something we carry, handle and use throughout our daily lives. How it is used is inseparable from its form.
I work with lines, curves, volumes and proportions, aiming to develop distinctive silhouettes without relying on excessive decorative details.
Every model involves testing and refinement. A curve, a change in height or a slight adjustment in proportion can alter the balance of the whole design. Some models take shape relatively quickly; others require a longer development process.
This attention to structure and proportion is at the heart of Lubay's design.
THE VEGAN CHOICE
A natural choice
I have been vegan for over ten years, so it was only natural that the bags I design and make would contain no materials of animal origin.
Choosing materials still requires careful consideration. I look at their composition, origin and properties, as well as the possibilities they offer when designing a bag.
I work with materials including Leap and Grape Skin, two next-gen vegan materials made in the European Union.
WORK
One person. Every stage.
Since founding Lubay in 2021, I have taken care of every stage myself: designing the models, developing the patterns, cutting the materials, assembling the bags and completing the finishing details.
I produce every bag myself in my studio in Baillamont, Belgium.
I also handle the art direction, photography, writing, website management in four languages, orders, customer service and press relations.
This way of working keeps me directly involved in every stage and allows me to make the decisions that shape the brand. It also means dividing my time between design, producing the bags and all the other work involved in running Lubay.
