About the Founder -About PóAR®

Rosa Aurora Oviedo Polanco is the CEO and Founder of PóAR, a design-led brand created for life in motion. As a daily New York City commuter, Rosa set out to transform the way people navigate the city—starting with what they carry.

Her journey began in 2016, after years of commuting across the city for her Sales Territory role, which she began in 2013. Every morning meant buses, trains, crowded platforms, and the same familiar frustration: digging through her bag for her MetroCard as the train doors threatened to close. Once seated, she’d have to rummage again—this time for her phone. Coffee stops before the office added another challenge: coins, receipts, bottles, IDs—all buried when she needed them most.

Despite trying countless bags over the years, Rosa realized that none were truly designed for the realities of city life. They weren’t intuitive. They didn’t anticipate movement. And they didn’t respect how fast a commuter needs to move.

So, she decided to design the solution herself.

PóAR was born from these everyday moments. Hidden pockets built directly into the design allow instant access to a phone or transit card. Exterior compartments make it easy to grab coffee, a roll, or a donut without opening the bag. A dedicated bottle pocket and a small compartment for ID ensure everything has its place—so nothing slows you down.

Determined to bring her vision to life, Rosa explored manufacturing options both locally and internationally. After extensive research, she made the bold decision to travel to China, where she gained firsthand insight into global production and built the relationships that helped shape the foundation of PóAR.

Inspired by navigating the city that never sleeps, Rosa designed a bag that keeps daily essentials exactly where you need them-eliminating the need to rummage, reducing friction, and redefining how commuters move through their day.

 

 

Our brand is proud to be certified by the Minority Women Business Enterprise