Pages

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Making of Famous Bags...

I must admit - I haven't used my sewing machine since I made the bag from a jacket (mainly because I use that bag almost everyday and I just can't think of a new bag I need), therefore I don't have a bag to share with you. But hey - it's a perfect time to make a second entry on luxury handbag making!

Here you can find the first entry on this subject (I talked about Hermes Kelly and Dior Lady bags). 

I'd like to start with a bag that I bet everyone has heard about or seen - even I have seen this bag in magazine pages long before I became interested in bags. Can you guess what bag it is? The answer is Chanel Classic flap bag. It's an iconic bag that didn't loose it's popularity decades after the release. 

Here you can find photos of how the classic version of this bag is made (due to the popularity and classic design this bag has a lot of versions):


Though I am not a huge fan of the Chanel Classic bag design, I think the craftsmanship in this bag is simply stunning and each step in the making process is eye catching. And the story behind the bag is worth reading - Coco Chanel herself designed this bag and gave each and every detail a meaning:


And finally, let's move on from one classic brand to another: from Chanel to Louis Vuitton: the making of Louis Vuitton Monogram Empreinte Bags (I wish there would be more LV videos like this one, but I guess the company tries to keep the process a secret because, unfortunately, there are so many fake LV bags in the market...):


Have a nice weekend! :)

Friday, February 3, 2012

My Sewing Machine



There is one question that I get asked quite often when I post a tutorial: “Do you use an industrial sewing machine?”. And today I’d like to answer this question: No, I don’t. I use my very simple domestic sewing machine – Bernina Bernette E55, which I’ve been using for the last 3,5 year. It’s a very basic sewing machine with 13 stitches (though I have never used half of them) and probably the cheapest Bernina in the market. 

The reason I’m posting this is that people sometimes think that their sewing machines won’t handle the task (like won’t sew stretch fabrics or faux leather), but the thing is that nowadays there are a lot of domestic machines that can handle difficult tasks and yet don't come with a huge price tag. So, here you go – if my sewing machine can handle my bag making - yours probably can too :)

Have a nice weekend! :)