Joanne McNally and Nikki Lannen unpack the emotional baggage behind Anxious Preoccupied
Nikki Lannen and Joanne McNally pictured with bags from the range they co-founded, Anxious Preoccupied. Picture: Ruth Rose
There is something reassuring about seeing the language of your inner life reflected back at you. In recent years, Irish women have shown a growing appetite for brands that feel honest, self-aware and grounded in everyday life. Few names capture that mood quite as succinctly as Anxious Preoccupied.
The accessories brand was co-founded by long-time friends Nikki Lannen and Joanne McNally, whose shared humour and complementary skill sets have shaped the business from the outset.
Having been friends for nearly 15 years, the idea of working together did not come from a boardroom but from a casual conversation a few years prior. At the time, there was no formal plan, just a shared feeling that it was the right moment to explore the idea.
The name itself, Lannen explains, came from McNally, inspired by the language of attachment theory. While the term ‘anxious preoccupied’ describes a specific relationship style, its appeal appears to be far broader.
“A lot of customers do not even realise it is an attachment style,” Lannen notes. “Especially some of the more mature women. But the words themselves say enough. People feel anxious. People feel preoccupied. That is everyday life now, and there is something comforting about seeing that acknowledged.”
That instinctive recognition is central to the brand’s success. From the beginning, Lannen and McNally were determined that Anxious Preoccupied would not take itself too earnestly. The humour is present but measured, perceptive and distinctly Irish in tone.
“We always said this should be fun,” Lannen recounts. “There are so many brands that take themselves very seriously. We wanted to stand out by being colourful, bright and a bit playful. Joanne obviously brings a lot of comedic instinct to it, but it is quite observational humour. It feels very Irish.”
Visually, that attitude translated into a confident use of colour and texture. At a time when minimalist palettes dominated fashion and social media, Anxious Preoccupied leaned into colour and metallic finishes.
“When we launched, everything felt very beige,” Lannen recalls. “We were pushing colour when not everyone was doing that. Some people really responded to it. Now colour is coming back more broadly, but we had already committed to it. We wanted the brand to bring a bit of joy.”
Behind the scenes, the partnership works because of clear boundaries.
“Our roles are very different,” Lannen details. “That is why it works. There is a lot of trust there because we have known each other for so long.”
Lannen oversees the operational and strategic side of the business, while McNally leads on creative direction, from product design to marketing and brand voice, and being the public face of the brand.
Transforming the concept into a finished product was a lengthy process. Although the company was officially incorporated in August 2023, Lannen outlines that there was more than a year of development before that point.
“Testing products, sourcing suppliers, getting samples made. We tried different things at the start, like prints and tracksuits, but bags were always the direction we felt strongest about.”
That focus was underpinned by personal experience. Lannen grew up around the leather trade and later completed a postgraduate qualification in business while working in tech. Those threads eventually came together in a way that felt intuitive.
Designing the bags has been guided by practicality as much as aesthetics. Lannen describes regular conversations with friends and customers, asking what they actually need from an everyday bag.
“We think about what would actually make life easier,” she says. “So many bags look great but are not practical. We wanted to think about size, weight, straps and details, while still making something that looks good.”
As the brand has grown, small but meaningful adjustments have been made, including improved handles, added fastenings and straps that increase versatility. For Lannen, these refinements are about listening and responding rather than chasing trends. That attention to quality has helped secure retail partnerships with Brown Thomas and Arnotts, a milestone she describes as transformative.
“Seeing the bags in store has been huge for us,” Lannen says. “People can feel the quality and understand the sizing. What has been interesting is that it has also driven online sales, because once people know what they are buying, they feel confident ordering again.” Maintaining accessible price points has remained a priority, despite the challenges that come with scaling production.
“We wanted good quality at a reasonable price,” Lannen says. “As customers ourselves, we know how hard it is to find that balance. We feel like we are filling a gap.” While Anxious Preoccupied is firmly rooted in Ireland, its reach is already international, with a significant portion of online customers based in the UK and further afield, an expansion that feels organic rather than forced.
“We are Irish through and through,” Lannen says. “But the feelings behind the brand are universal.” As Anxious Preoccupied continues to grow, the focus is on protecting its tone and integrity.
“We think a lot about not losing what makes us us,” she reflects. “For us, that means quality, consistency and not taking ourselves too seriously.” Ultimately, Lannen hopes that buying an Anxious Preoccupied bag offers something beyond function. “We want it to feel fun,” she says. “A little lift in your day. Something that reflects real life, but with colour and humour.”
In a world where many people feel stretched thin, that sense of recognition may be exactly why the name continues to resonate.
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