Upon buying a gorgeous Austin Double Shoulder hide from my leather supplier, I decided to to try making a simple messenger bag as a Christmas present for my sister. The hide was the perfect thickness and had just enough stiffness for the project, and the minimalist nature of the design meant the amount of joining and smaller pieces would be cut down.
With all custom pieces I do, I tried to design the bag perfectly around her. What does she bring with her? Where does she go? These questions help me sort out a style and size to aim for.
Planning dimensions.
I ended up deciding to take a more minimalist approach to the piece. That meant no buckles or straps, only one pocket which was inline and hidden, and no unnecessary stitching detail. Not only would it highlight the beautiful texture of the leather, but it also cut down on the production time of the piece, which was important given the timeframe of the winter break.
I proceeded to start hashing out details, such as what type and size of attachments to use, how pieces would be joined, and producing cardboard templates based off the dimensions.
Figuring out some attachment details.
After all was ready, production began.
Before photo of the gorgeous Austin Double Shoulder. No cats were harmed in making this project.
The production of the bag went well. Some minor dimensioning details had to be fixed, as well as the addition of grooves in the spine piece at the corners to allow the leather to sit nicely.
The raw feel of the leather complimented the minimalist design, and will hopefully wear in nicely.
After photo. See, no cats! Photoraphy by Lynnea Tan.
Inner detail: suede pen pocket and laptop sleeve. Photoraphy by Lynnea Tan.
Attachments detail and stamping. Photography by Lynnea Tan.
Photography by Lynnea Tan.
