The Brand

XIMENA KAVALEKAS is a Miami-based luxury handbag and accessories brand named after its designer and creative director. The idea for the brand formed when XK received an unexpected call from a friend to visit a luxury heritage brand's family-run tannery refining exotic python skins. Kavelakas' creative instinct immediately lit up. One step led to the next and in 2015, the brand launched and she began producing exquisite items of desire. Meticulously crafted and produced in Italy, all of the pieces are fully embellished in python skin and other luxe materials, and are specially injectedf with patented vitamin combination making each one a unique representation of the brand’s identity. By word of mouth, her name began to travel not only within the cosmopolitan fashion elite of Miami but in many countries around the world. Its unique designs, luxurious skins, and impeccable craftsmanship quickly became seen on A-list celebrities and fashion connoisseurs alike, including Gigi Hadid, Pryanka Chopra, and Sofia Vergara, just to name a few. This buzz garnered the attention of major retailers, including Bergdorf Goodman. The iconic retail store was the brand’s first wholesale account, subsequently leading to huge orders from top luxury boutiques and retailers around the world like Bloomingdales, Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi, etc. The brand has achieved tremendous success over the past few years, including a celebrated collaboration with one of the biggest names in fashion and a dear friend of XK, Margherita Missoni. This bespoke collaboration launched at Haute Couture fashion week in Paris with a star-studded event. In attendance were Laura Santo Domingo (editor in chief of Moda Operandi), Derek Blasberg (head of fashion and beauty partnerships at YouTube), and Karla Martinez de Salas (editor in chief of Vogue LATAM) among other influencers, celebrities, and fashion aficionados. The following season, Ximena Kavalekas launched her next prismatic collection with Vogue, creating a one-of-a-kind masterclass titled “The future is bright”. The Ximena Kavalekas brand was on fire, and then the world turned upside down in 2020 when the global pandemic infiltrated the lives of everyone around the world. XK used this as an opportunity to redirect to a retail focused business model, opening its first flagship store [equipped with a full bar] in the heart of the Miami luxury fashion scene, the Miami Design District. Now, XK has kicked it up a notch, opening a gradious shop and shop pop-up store at Galeries Lafayette [Doha, Qatar] at the height of the world cup. As the brand continues to open shop and shop pop-ups around the world, the team in Miami is also preparing for the launch of Ximena Kavalekas private label prosecco and sweet temptations in the form of decadent chocolate truffles. The Ximena Kavalekas flagship will combine bags, bubbles, and chocolate for a shopping experience akin to heaven on earth. XK is a budding force in fashion and is ready to make its mark on the world.

About the Creative Director  

Ximena Kavalekas is an Ecuadorian fashion designer, businesswoman, and founder of the namesake brand, Ximena Kavalekas. She began her fashion training in her early 20's at the prestigious Academia Italiana and Instituto Polimoda where she studied design. After many years designing and creating with top brands from around the world, Kavalekas moved to Miami, met her Greek husband, and started to raise a family, but her love affair with fashion and design still burned bright. Between raising her two kids (ages 13 & 15) and running her business, Kavalekas rarely has time to relax.  A typical day for XK starts at 5 o’clock in the morning with zoom calls to her factory in Italy, where she works on her latest creations. Then she heads out to client/business meetings for the rest of her day. Ximena’s electric, bubbly personality fuels her hectic schedule and lends her time to socialize with her friends and colleagues, many of whom have been supporting her from the very beginning. Kavalekas attributes her success, in part, to these individuals. Upon looking through her collections, you will find that each bag shares a name with one of these people that have made a significant impact on her life. 

At her core, she loves people, bags, and bubbles which is why it is no surprise that her latest project is the creation of her own private label prosecco. This on-going project has been years in the making, and she is happy to finally launch it later this year. All of her hard work over the years has manifested into many awards and accolades including Vieuve Clicquot's prestiges “La Grande Dam'' award celebrating audacious, creative, and innovative women. Most recently, Kavalekas was honored in the “Miami Founders” campaign, which celebrates the only major American city founded by a woman. Apart from being recognized for these prestigious entrepreneurial awards, Kavalekas is incredibly socially conscious, working closely with many philanthropic foundations, including the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, donating a portion of her sales to support its conservation efforts. She is just getting started, and can’t wait to show the world what else she has in store.