Lawless: Safer sex has never been more fashionable

As Lawless, the luxurious New York evening bag label, gets ready to launch in Shanghai on July 9, people are starting to buzz about the bag's unique amenities as much as the purses and the designer behind them all. 

Created by Canadian-born globetrotter Conlyn Chan, the line of Lawless bags launching in Shanghai are funky and functional. Their secret "condom pocks" send a bold message to all who carry them -- going to parties is fabulous, but make sure to BYOC (bring your own condom).

"I wanted something more creative, more malleable and more entrepreneurial [as a career]," Conlyn Chan says.

Champagne proof

Offering the eagerly awaiting Shanghai masses three new collections, "Depression Chic," "Marrakesh Express" and "Goddess by Night," Lawless's first line being shown at their launch party (see end of the article for details) is dominated by dark colors and is adorned with strong rock accents, using metallic zips and chains. We're fans of the texture of stingray skin, known by the company as "immortal skin."

Stingray skin is durable (10 times more durable than regular leather, hence "immortal"), sparkly and waterproof. Although "waterproof" isn't the first thing you think of when shopping for a purse, anyone who has put their bag on a wet bar will immediately be grateful.

"We’ve worked on the functional elements to make [Lawless bags] suitable for formal events and the more unconventional occasions. They're easy to dance with and have fun with at parties and are even Champagne proof," says designer Conlyn Chan.

We could go on about the outside of the Lawless purses, but the real girl power lies inside these bags. Each bag has a condom pocket stitched inside. In a country often lacking comprehensive sexual education, this is step in the right direction (and a fashionable one at that), reminding party-goers of the importance of safer sex. 

"We have anticipated our customers’ every need," says Chan. "We are introducing the BYOC [bring your own condom] concept to modern women around the globe." 

We have anticipated our customers’ every need. We are introducing the BYOC (bring your own condom) concept to the modern women around the globe.

-- Conlyn Chan, Lawless designer

From the court room to the studio

Having spent a long time in New York, Chan seems to have slipped right out of "Lipstick Jungle" -- well dressed, well mannered and a woman on a mission, changing careers and moving out of the court room to build a fashion empire. 

Up until two years ago, Chan was a lawyer, and although she regarded law as a rewarding and challenging experience, she didn't see it as a balanced career. "I wanted something more creative, more malleable and more entrepreneurial," she says. 

Although it was a difficult decision to leave her stable law career to strike out on her own, Chan is happy with her decision. "John Keats wrote 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,'" explains Chan. "Truth is always beautiful and attracts everyone. Being a lawyer was about finding the truth whereas, fashion design brings more beauty -- a different kind of truth -- to this world." 

With this concept in mind, the reason behind choosing the brand name "Lawless" comes into focus. Far from supporting illegal activities, Lawless -- through its design and function -- encourages people to take a step off the beaten track, liberating themselves from the conventional wisdom. As Chan simply puts it, "Lawless is a symbol of freedom." 

find lawless purses at:

Vanity Dress
176 Jinxian Lu, near Maoming Nan Lu
进贤路176号, 近茂名南路
+86 21 5157 5983

Judy Hua
1/F, Bldg 7, No. 50 Moganshan Lu, near Nan Suzhouhe Lu
莫干山路50号7号楼1楼, 近南苏州河路
+86 21 6266 3449

Tina Couture
248b Wuxing Lu, near Jianguo Xi Lu
吴兴路248乙号, 近建国西路
+86 21 6467 1266