Melbourne-based Raye and her label HERA have quickly become known for its plush, statement-making bags that feel more like collectible pieces of art than seasonal accessories. Each release drops like an event, playful yet powerful, steeped in personality, and impossible to ignore.

HERA’s presence extends beyond design into the community that powers it. Raye has built a network that thrives on collaboration, from stylists and photographers to the friends who help turn late-night ideas into dreamy campaigns. That energy recently reached a new high when a HERA bag found its way into the hands of global artists Saweetie and Snoop Dogg, a moment that placed the brand firmly within the crosscurrents of music, fashion, and culture.

With momentum building, Raye is already shaping what’s next. New forms, unexpected mediums, and immersive experiences are on the horizon, signalling that HERA is still at the opening chapter of a much larger story.

Let’s talk about HERA. We love how strong and defined your creative vision has been from the very beginning, what was the moment that made you think, this is the bag I need to make? 

Honestly, it was never about making just a bag. I wanted to create something collectible like a piece of art you could carry. I live for statement pieces, and I’ve always believed fashion should be playful but powerful. It’s how you express yourself and dress up, but adult edition. I’ve always been the girl carrying little bags that are kind of useless, so with plush I knew I had to base it off a bowling bag or LV Speedy. And for the design, I didn’t want it to be simple… everyone had Labubus, so I thought: let’s take it further, let’s cover one. 

The name itself is powerful. How does HERA capture the energy you want your community to feel, or the kind of story you want the brand to tell? 

HERA comes from the goddess: power, presence, unapologetic femininity. But fun fact: the brand actually started as a hair tools concept, with HERA as a play on "hair." When that project wasn’t the right timing, I hit pause. But when the bag idea came about, I knew I wanted to keep the name and carry the meaning over. It felt aligned. When you hold a HERA, you feel larger than life. It’s more than a logo, it’s a statement: bold, chaotic, but deeply tied to identity.

One of your bags recently landed in the hands of Saweetie, that’s huge. How did that moment come about, and what did it mean for you and the brand to see someone of her profile carrying your work? 

That was surreal. I was invited to her Melbourne concert by Kaye Aubrey PR & Events, and I knew HERA had to be part of the fit because that’s the energy at a Saweetie show. As soon as I arrived, heads were turning, people asking about the bag, that’s when it clicked: this was the night. It became a mission, and with my friends hyping me up, we got it to her. She loved it. For me, it wasn’t just Saweetie carrying HERA - it was proof the brand belongs in cultural rooms where music, fashion, and personality collide.That night in particular was a big validation of the vision. 

A big part of HERA is this sense of community, connection, and culture. How did you build that foundation, and what role have your local and online communities played in shaping the brand’s identity? 

HERA is built by the community, not just me. Over the years I’ve connected with so many creatives locally and overseas, and HERA became my way of paying it forward - to create the opportunities I wish I had starting out. From day one, I’ve pulled in stylists, models, photographers who I knew would shine, and giving them briefs they’d get excited about. That’s why our campaigns feel layered with collaboration. Online, the HERA community and #PlushGirlClub keep it alive. Locally, activations like this one with Finesse let us merge fashion with culture in real time. That’s what defines HERA’s identity. 

Along the way, what’s been the most surprising thing you didn’t expect, whether in design, business, the people you’ve met, or even in your own resilience?

The most surprising thing? How much resilience it takes. I thought HERA would run seamlessly - this week we do this, next month that - but there are always factors you can’t control: packaging delays, production hiccups, schedules not aligning. The chaos behind the scenes actually sharpened me, taught me how to pivot fast because deadlines don’t move. Your purpose has to be strong because this shit is hard and will break you. But the flip side? The outpouring of creatives wanting to collaborate and add their magic to HERA has been the most rewarding surprise. 

And looking ahead, what’s the next evolution for both yourself and HERA? Are there other creative arenas you’re excited to explore, or plans to expand the brand into new territories? 

I’ve always seen myself as a brand - multi-faceted. With HERA, I get to pour everything I’ve learned and experienced into this world and share it tangibly. It’s an extension of me, but also a platform for community. My vision has always been capsule-driven: we don’t just drop products, we drop worlds. Plush bags were the debut, but the next could be clothes, statement objects, events?... I want every release to feel like a cultural moment or experience. And personally, I’m evolving as a brand owner, a creative director and storyteller: building activations, partnerships, and spaces that prove HERA isn’t just fashion, it’s culture. That’s the next evolution.