Episode Details

In this episode of Culture Uncovered, Jena Dunay sits down with Kaitlyn Borea, VP of HR and Talent at Vivrelle, to explore what it's like to build culture at a members-only luxury handbag and jewelry rental club founded by a husband-and-wife team.

Kaitlyn shares how a confidential executive search led her to Vivrelle, and what sealed the decision: leadership's genuine understanding of parenthood and work-life boundaries. The conversation dives into the unique challenge of leading HR for two very different employee populations under one roof — a traditional 9:30-to-6 logistics and operations team that hand-packs every luxury item, and a more flexible, Slack-driven corporate team — and how that shaped Vivrelle's deliberate return to an in-office culture.

The episode also covers Vivrelle's standout "bucket of remote days" perk, which gives corporate employees full autonomy over when to use flexible work time, along with candid advice for job seekers on identifying their non-negotiables by season of life, and why Kaitlyn believes small, scrappy startups offer unmatched growth exposure early in a career.

What You'll Learn

• How Vivrelle's founders got the idea for a luxury handbag rental service during their own wedding planning
• Why Vivrelle intentionally returned to a five-day, in-office culture rather than staying remote
• How the company's "bucket of remote days" gives corporate employees full autonomy over flexible work time
• Why leading HR for two distinct employee populations (logistics/ops vs. corporate) requires different approaches to benefits and culture
• How to evaluate a job opportunity by identifying your non-negotiables for your current "season of life"
• Why Kaitlyn believes small startups offer faster, higher-exposure growth than larger established companies

Company Highlights

• Industry: Luxury fashion rental / membership subscription service (handbags and jewelry)
• Customer Base: Members ranging from space-conscious city dwellers to frequent event-goers seeking variety without ownership
• Company Stage: Founded in September 2018, Series C-funded, ~70 employees, in-office five days a week in Manhattan
• Culture: High-trust, high-autonomy, casual, and intentionally low-stress despite operating in the luxury space
• Focus Areas: Logistics and operations excellence, growth marketing (newly built out), and sustainable (not aggressive) hiring

Unique Perks & Programs

• Bucket of Remote Days: 30 flexible remote days per year for corporate employees to use however and whenever suits their life
• Employee Membership Discount: Significant discount on Vivrelle's own luxury handbag and jewelry membership
• Extra PTO for In-Office Roles: Additional paid time off specifically for employees whose roles require daily in-office presence
• Opt-In Lifestyle Perks: Peloton, Citi Bike, and Kind Body memberships available based on individual interest
• Paid Birthday Off: A company-wide day off for every employee's birthday
• Access to Brand Events: Employee participation in pop-ups and partnership events (e.g., a Hamptons pop-up and a Kith collaboration celebration)

To learn more about Vivrelle:

Careers Page (they're hiring!)
LinkedIn Page
Kaitlyn's LinkedIn