Christina Banjo: From CTK to High-End Handbag Entrepreneur

Christina Banjo is the Creative Director at Christina Chi.

Christina studied her A levels in IT, Media Business and Psychology, all of which prepared her for running her own business in one way or another.

“College also helped me learn about all the things I was good at and it helped choose my degree,” she said. “The learning at college and also mixing with people helped a lot with my social skills.”

Christina graduated from the University of Kent with a degree in Industrial Relations, Human Resource Management and Business. Whilst there she developed the idea of launching her own brand, and tested the idea re-selling wholesale bags.

“After leaving university I worked for a while in Human Resource Management,” said Christina. “Then I felt like it was time to utilise my creative and business skills much more so I set up my own company designing leather accessories.”

Christina shadowed a renowned British handbag designer during London Fashion Week, before enrolling on a Buying and Merchandising course at the London College of Fashion in 2012.

She launched Christina Chi Limited in 2013, spending time with Spanish leather artisans to find out more about her product. She recently launched her first luxury handbag collection in Paris with Aloha Paris, a luxury women’s boutique in the iconic Faubourg Saint-Honoré area.

She is looking forward to her future successes and expanding the brand. “I want o be at the top of my game in terms of business.”

“The greatest challenge has been adjusting to working for someone else to working for yourself,” said Christina.

Check out the Christina Chi Collection here!