Life of Riza × BrevitēA First Look at UrbanCred

Kariza of Life of Riza and Brooklyn bag maker Brevitē are bringing their new collaboration to our shop for one afternoon: an exclusive first look at the collection before it launches online.

The bag

Kariza has been carrying Brevitē for years, and this collection has been a year in the making. The centerpiece is her take on the Jumper, Brevitē's signature camera backpack.

The Life of Riza × Brevitē Jumper.

If you haven't met the Jumper yet, Dylan and his brother designed it because most camera bags were bulky and looked like they had something expensive inside. The Jumper reads as a regular daypack. There's a side pocket so you can grab your camera without taking the bag off, padded dividers inside, room for a laptop, and a sleeve that slides over a suitcase handle. It's made from recycled polyester with a weather-resistant coating.

Kariza's version keeps all of that and goes all in on one color: a deep wine red, from the fabric and webbing down to the zipper pulls. Only the hardware stays silver.

“A camera bag that doesn't look like a camera bag, for someone who films her everyday life.”

The best part is the logo. It's stitched tone-on-tone, with her signature under the Brevitē wordmark, so you only really notice it up close. That feels about right for someone whose videos are all about the small details.

The stitched signature and matching zipper pulls.

It makes a lot of sense as a pairing: a camera bag that doesn't look like a camera bag, for someone who films her everyday life. You'll be able to see it in person at the shop on the 17th, and 20 guests will get to preorder before it goes online on November 20.

On the day

The full Life of Riza × Brevitē lineup will be out on the bag walls and the center table, and Kariza and the Brevitē team will be in the shop all afternoon. The shop is set up just for them that day.

Brevitē is running a custom charm station, so you can make your own bag charm to clip on. Try on the collection, grab a hot chocolate and take a few photos while you're here. The totes will be ready to buy and take home on the spot.

How it came together

Brandon, who started Brevitē with his brothers Elliot and Dylan, and I first talked a couple of years ago, before UrbanCred even had a storefront. Bags, brand, business, mostly just getting to know each other as two people building something in the same city.

Brevitē started on Kickstarter back in 2015 with a camera bag that doesn't look like a camera bag, and the brothers have been building it out of Brooklyn ever since. Today it's backpacks, slings and totes for photographers, creators and anyone commuting with too much stuff.

We kept in touch. A few months back his brothers dropped by the monthly meetup to see what it was about. So when Brandon asked if we'd host the launch, I was happy to say yes.

I'd like to say it's because we're the best bag shop in NYC. Honestly, it just happened naturally. We already knew each other, and Greenpoint is a pretty great neighborhood to throw a launch in.

Earlier this month, on Election Day, Dylan and Kariza came by so we could work out the details over coffee: how people move through the shop, how the meet-and-greet runs, and how preorders work on the day. Dylan still had his I Voted sticker on.

“There's so much style and effort in her vlogs that even one a month is worth the wait.”

Meet Kariza

Kariza Santos makes vlogs as Life of Riza, mostly about life in your twenties: the lessons, the routines and the small moments in between. A lot of creators grind and push out content. Kariza takes her time, and you can tell. She started with polished, film-style vlogs, and they've slowly turned into something more thoughtful. They're the kind you watch with a warm cup of tea, curled up in a blanket, and there's so much style and effort in them that even one a month is worth the wait.

In person she's chill, down to earth and fun to talk to. We can't wait to have her community in the shop.

Kariza and Dylan, coffee before the walkthrough.

Why this one matters

I'll admit I'm biased here. I've been watching Life of Riza for a while, so having Kariza in our shop for her collab's first look is a bit of a fan moment for me.

Brevitē is the other half of it. The brothers are close friends, and we've wanted to do something together for a long time. The right opportunity just never came up until now, so when it did, it was an easy yes.

It's also exactly what we want the shop to be. We want UrbanCred to be a place where people come together, talk bags and meet each other, with no judgement, whether you've been collecting for years or just bought your first backpack. And we want it to be a space other brands can reach out and use, for a launch, a meetup or whatever they have in mind.

If you're a brand with an idea, get in touch.

Ed, Kariza and Dylan after the walkthrough.

Find Kariza at lifeofriza.com and on YouTube as Life of Riza. Brevitē is at brevite.co.

See you on the 17th.

Ed, UrbanCred