About

The Origin Story

Hi! My name is Rhaime ("rhyme") and I'm the founder of Nueue Ave.

I'm a 28 year-old Korean American and grew up in Seoul, before moving to the East Coast for high school and college.

Post-grad life: From robotics to NYT

After studying computer science, I spent 5 years in tech.

My first job was growing a robotics startup. Sure, it was a startup, but I dressed up almost every day, because I spent a lot of time convincing executives of public companies in Hong Kong to buy our robots + raised money from investors.

(I'm on the right, with my high school friend! We worked hard to grow Rice Robotics.)

Then, as covid waned, I moved to my dream city, NYC, without a job.

With $1,500 in cash left in my bank account (I had investments!), I started my first corporate job in the bright, floor-to-ceiling windowed bastion of The New York Times.

(That's me receiving a big-girl award! I got the adtech department's only individual award, from our global chief ads officer.)

... and I just couldn't find a good leather work backpack.

But guess what? Amidst the work stress, I also had to grow as a young adult.

Going on dates and spending way too much on dining and drinks in NYC.

Hitting the gym & training for the NYC marathon after work.

And I just couldn't find a work backpack that looked good enough to wear to a nice dinner afterward and could fit my gym shoes and dirty clothes.

Birth of the Leather Commuter Backpack

Clearly, there wasn't a backpack as sleek as me – that actually could fit my big, full, extremely intense life.

So with 0 design experience, I consulted YouTube University to design my own leather commuter backpack, complete with a key leash, laptop compartment and a velcro-separated compartment for my gym shoes!

Nueue Ave: A well-carried life

Nueue Ave makes chic & functional lifestyle products for modern 9-5 women.

As women doing cool things and straight-shooting toward our goals, we carry the burden of both our own ambitions and must release ourselves from society's expectations to forge our own path.

Our beautiful products are an extension of you and your full, meaningful life. Let her help you carry some of that burden, so that you can live a life true to you.