Our Social Story
Founded in Vienna in 2017 — handmade by women with refugee background. Covered by Forbes Austria, Heute, MeinBezirk, ORF, W24 and Radio România Cultural.
Transylvania
Annamaria Tolvaly grew up in the Hungarian minority of Transylvania, in communist Romania. In her family, making things by hand was part of everyday life — she learned to sew from her mother and grandmother. Later she worked in journalism, design and advertising, and came to speak seven languages.
“We did not have many things, and we had to create them. So what Bags With Legs does, is make amazing things with few resources.”Annamaria Tolvaly · Impact Hub Vienna, 2019
Vienna
She moved to Vienna around 2010. Despite a degree and years of experience, finding work took a long time. She began sewing bags at home and asking how to turn the craft into a living. That experience of starting over became the foundation of the label she founded in 2017.
Made in Vienna · Hermanngasse 19, NeubauMominah
One day a young Syrian woman named Mominah heard music coming from the small shop, stepped inside and asked if help was needed. She had studied economics in Syria and fled to Vienna. She became the first employee. After ORF television interviewed the two of them, the idea of a training workshop took shape — in cooperation with the AMS, for refugee women who are allowed to work but rarely get a first chance.
“It was destiny!”Annamaria Tolvaly · Impact Hub Vienna, 2019
Made by hand at Hermanngasse 19 · Neubau, Vienna
The name
The bags are big — when a woman carries one, it can look as if her legs belong to the bag. And every bag exists so that the woman who made it can stand on her own two legs.
“The name means the legs of all these women from a very hard background, who can become independent the moment they have a space where they can grow, be seen, be appreciated.”Annamaria Tolvaly · Radio România Cultural, 2025
The training
In cooperation with the AMS, women with refugee and migrant backgrounds join the atelier for about three months. Not just a sewing course — the whole life of a small label:
- 01Cut and sewA pocket, a pattern, a whole bag.
- 02DesignDevelop own ideas and make them real.
- 03Meet the customerThe shop, the conversation, selling your own work.
- 04Work independentlyHandle the everyday challenges of a working atelier.
“Many of them had to adapt their whole lives. Here it’s about finding yourself and developing.”Annamaria Tolvaly · MeinBezirk, 2025
The women with legs
The name is theirs. These are the women who trained here or make the bags today — each with her portrait from the label’s own Social Project page, and her superpower in the label’s own words.
Finished fashion school in Vienna — sewing bags was the natural next step. Her kind heart and her aesthetic sensibility.
Studied economics in Syria; walked into the shop and asked if help was needed. Her sewing skills, her patience and making dolls.
Her first training after arriving in Vienna. Her incredible motivation and willingness to learn.
Learned to sew very young; now makes the bags alongside Annamaria. Multitasking talent and sharp intelligence.
Came with solid sewing skills; learned how a small label runs — to one day open her own atelier. Her strong energy and kindness.
A teacher back home; sews all the dresses for her sisters. Her ability of never giving up and her intelligence.
Excellent sewing abilities, training at the atelier. Her precision in work and her calm energy.
Learned to sew from her mother and grandmother; speaks seven languages; founded the label in 2017. Shown with Asilla — “the hands behind each bag.”
Portraits from the training programme · bagswithlegs.at/social-project
Every bag in the shop was cut and sewn by these hands at Hermanngasse 19 — so that each of them stands on her own two legs.
The leather
Every bag is made from deadstock — leftover leather the industry set aside — with European fabrics and buckles. Nothing is overproduced: small series and one-of-a-kind pieces, about six hours of handwork for a small bag and eight for a large one.
“Universal stories woven into European materials, by migrant women — because we all come from different places, but we all stand on common ground.”bagswithlegs.at
“Our goal is to strengthen women and give them the chance to stand on their own two legs.”Annamaria Tolvaly · MeinBezirk / W24, 2025
Nine years, step by step.
Annamaria moves to Vienna.
MeinBezirk, 2023
Bags With Legs is founded.
bagswithlegs.at
A small shop opens. Mominah hears music from inside, walks in, and becomes the first employee. ORF television films the two of them.
Impact Hub Vienna, 2019
Finalist of the found! accelerator (Deloitte Future Fund + Impact Hub Vienna). Four women with refugee backgrounds employed. Forbes Austria writes “Empowerment mit Stil”.
Forbes Austria, December 2019
Around ten women trained at the Ziegelofengasse workshop — partly on sewing machines from the 1950s.
MeinBezirk, February 2023
The atelier and shop at Hermanngasse 19, Neubau, open in December.
Heute, January 2025
Annamaria is named a “Wiener Heldin” of the Neubau district by MeinBezirk and W24. Radio România Cultural broadcasts a portrait from Vienna.
MeinBezirk, November 2025
Press
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MeinBezirk · W24November 2025
“Wiener Heldin” — helping women stand on their own two legs
“Our goal is to strengthen women and give them the chance to stand on their own two legs.”
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Radio România CulturalJune 2025
A portrait from Vienna — “Orașul vorbește”
“It’s a program for women without education, without possibilities, marginalized women — but who have extraordinary talent.”
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HeuteJanuary 2025
The new Hermanngasse atelier
On the December opening, the deadstock leather, and the women from Bosnia, Brazil, Afghanistan, Romania and Iran who make the bags.
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MeinBezirkFebruary 2023
Fashion as a social statement
“You can’t always do everything better, but the main thing is that you try.”
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Forbes AustriaDecember 2019
Empowerment mit Stil
“The stories of the refugee women are in every single bag and made visible through our brand.”
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Impact Hub ViennaMarch 2019
Founder spotlight: Annamaria Tolvaly
“I think that the world has a lot of bags — what it needs is change and inspiration.”