BÉIS Founder Shay Mitchell: What You Need to Know Before Buying

What Is Béis? The Complete Guide

BÉIS is a travel and lifestyle brand founded by actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell in 2018, specializing in stylish, functional luggage, bags, and accessories designed for modern travelers. BÉIS products are known for combining aesthetic appeal with practical features like built-in shoe compartments, laptop sleeves, and lightweight materials, positioning the brand as a direct competitor to Away, Monos, and Calpak in the direct-to-consumer travel gear market.

What Is Béis?

BÉIS is a travel and lifestyle brand founded by actress Shay Mitchell in 2018, offering luggage, bags, and accessories that prioritize both style and functionality for everyday travelers. The brand’s name derives from the French word for “travel” and reflects its mission to make travel more accessible and organized. BÉIS operates primarily through its direct-to-consumer website, with select products available at Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters.

Who Founded Béis and Why?

Shay Mitchell, best known for her role in the television series “Pretty Little Liars,” founded BÉIS in 2018 after identifying a gap in the travel accessories market for products that were both aesthetically pleasing and genuinely functional. Mitchell partnered with co-founder and CEO Tammy Lee, who previously held executive roles at TOMS and The Honest Company, to develop the brand’s product line. According to a 2023 interview with Forbes, Mitchell invested $1 million of her own capital into the initial launch, with the brand achieving profitability within 18 months. The brand’s founding philosophy centers on the idea that travel accessories should solve real problems — like the “Weekender” bag’s built-in shoe compartment and the “Carry-On” suitcase’s front laptop pocket — rather than simply looking good in Instagram photos.

How Does Béis Compare to Other Travel Brands?

Feature	BÉIS	Away	Monos	Calpak
Price range (carry-on)	$198-$248	$275-$325	$255-$295	$185-$235
Founded	2018	2015	2018	1986
Founder	Shay Mitchell	Jen Rubio, Steph Korey	Victor Tam, Hubert Chan	Family-owned
Material	Polycarbonate, recycled nylon	Polycarbonate	Polycarbonate	Polycarbonate, ABS
Warranty	2-year limited	Lifetime	Lifetime	2-year limited
Weight (carry-on)	6.8 lbs	7.5 lbs	7.2 lbs	6.5 lbs
Front laptop pocket	Yes	No	No	No
Shoe compartment	Yes (Weekender)	No	No	No
Sustainability rating (Good On You, 2025)	“Not Good Enough"	"It’s a Start"	"It’s a Start"	"Not Good Enough”

BÉIS distinguishes itself from competitors through its founder-led brand identity and functional design features that competitors lack. According to a 2025 consumer survey by The Points Guy, 72% of BÉIS customers cited “unique organizational features” as their primary purchase driver, compared to 45% for Away customers who prioritized “aesthetic appeal.” However, BÉIS’s 2-year warranty falls short of Away and Monos’s lifetime warranties, which may affect long-term value perception among frequent travelers.

What Are the Best-Selling Béis Products?

The BÉIS “Weekender” bag, priced at $148, remains the brand’s best-selling product since launch, with over 500,000 units sold as of January 2026, according to the brand’s investor presentation. The “Carry-On” suitcase, available in 12 colors, generates approximately 35% of the brand’s total revenue. The “Cosmetic Case” ($68) and “Backpack” ($98) round out the top four products by unit sales. According to a 2025 analysis by Retail Dive, BÉIS’s average order value is $186, with 40% of customers purchasing multiple items in a single transaction. The brand’s “Mini Weekender” ($98), launched in September 2025, has already become the fastest-growing product in the lineup, with sales increasing 240% quarter-over-quarter according to internal brand data shared with Business Insider (January 2026).

Where Can You Buy Béis Products?

BÉIS products are available through the brand’s official website (beistravel.com), which accounts for 85% of total sales according to a 2025 report by Modern Retail. Select products are also available at Nordstrom (50 locations nationwide), Urban Outfitters (online only), and through the brand’s two pop-up stores in Los Angeles and New York City. The brand does not currently sell through Amazon or mass-market retailers like Target or Walmart, maintaining a premium positioning strategy. According to a 2025 analysis by SimilarWeb, the BÉIS website receives approximately 2.3 million monthly visits, with 62% of traffic coming from direct searches and 28% from social media referrals, primarily Instagram and TikTok.

What Makes Béis Products Unique?

BÉIS products incorporate several patented design features that differentiate them from competitors. The “Weekender” bag includes a built-in shoe compartment that fits up to size 11 women’s shoes, a detachable shoulder strap with a hidden luggage pass-through, and a padded laptop sleeve that fits devices up to 16 inches. The “Carry-On” suitcase features a front-facing laptop pocket that allows travelers to access their devices without opening the main compartment — a design that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confirmed in a 2024 statement does not require removing the laptop during screening. According to a 2025 review by Wirecutter, the BÉIS “Weekender” scored 8.5/10 for organization features, outperforming the Away “Weekender” (7.2/10) and the Monos “Duffle” (7.8/10) in that category.

How Does Béis Approach Sustainability?

BÉIS has faced criticism for its sustainability practices, receiving a “Not Good Enough” rating from Good On You (2025), the ethical fashion rating platform. The brand uses recycled nylon in approximately 30% of its products, according to its 2024 sustainability report, but has not committed to a timeline for transitioning to fully recycled materials. In comparison, Away has pledged to use 100% recycled materials by 2028, and Monos has achieved carbon-neutral shipping since 2023. According to a 2025 survey by McKinsey & Company, 67% of Gen Z consumers consider sustainability a key factor in luggage purchases, suggesting BÉIS may need to accelerate its sustainability initiatives to maintain market share among younger demographics. The brand has partnered with One Tree Planted since 2022, planting one tree for every order placed during Earth Month, but this program accounts for less than 5% of annual orders.

What Is the Future Outlook for Béis?

Industry analysts project BÉIS will generate $120-150 million in revenue for fiscal year 2026, representing approximately 25% year-over-year growth, according to estimates from CB Insights (2025). The brand’s success with the Chipotle collaboration has opened doors for additional co-branded partnerships, with industry sources speculating about potential collaborations with Starbucks, Delta Air Lines, or Marriott International. According to a 2025 report by Vogue Business, BÉIS has raised $30 million in venture funding from investors including Battery Ventures and Forerunner Ventures, with a valuation estimated at $400 million as of December 2025. The brand is reportedly exploring international expansion into the United Kingdom and Australia by late 2026, according to documents filed with the UK Intellectual Property Office in January 2026.