Cult Following: 5 Handbags Brands to Know
Last year I did a post on 5 handbag brands that were not well known and it was one of my most popular posts. So I'm back at again this year.
Caraa is an athletic bag brand launched by a friend and industry peer Carmen Chen Wu. From the website: "Our ethos is simple: to create well-made, versatile and smart sports bags that can transition from street to fitness studio, business meeting to dinner, and everywhere in between. The result is the perfect set of hybrid accessories that strike balance between craftsmanship, quality, and sport functionalities." The athletic category is hot right now- but surprisingly, not many sport bag brands are in the space. Caraa is tearing it up and recently did a collaboration with Athleta!
My penchant for Scotland and handbags lead my to this brand, back when they were on Kickstarter and I have been a follower every since. Now Meghan Markle has been seen wearing their bags it has blown up. From city of Edinburgh, this brand specializes in high-quality handmade pieces and is lead by a former LVMH designer (insert fan girl blush). I'm pretty sure living in Scotland and designing beautiful leather bags is my dream life. Another point of interest to handbag designers- note the signature metal handle bar. This is a perfect example of how a design element becomes iconic of a brand.
I looked up Rareform bags after their Shark Tank episode aired. I am always interested in figuring out how materials can be reused/recycled/recovered to create circular designed products. Rareform collects used billboard signs made of vinyl and repurposes the materials to create their bags. This makes the bags each have it's own unique/rare look and keeps 20,000 lbs a month from entering the trash. Great bag designs that also reduce waste- that is my jam!
Maria Solovey's bags have been on my instagram feed for over 2 years and even though I can barely read her translated posts in Russian, no words are needed to appreciate her gorgeous posts and products. Her minimalist designs feature prints from stamps she hand carves and prints herself! I love her choice in natural materials as well as the nature motifs in her work.
I stumbled on this brand in my online research travels while perusing Etsy. I love the story behind the name, which stands for resilience, endurance and bravery, and the brand aesthetic. Each of the bags is hand crafted by Ivonne Schippers, the brand's creator. I think Ada Blackjack is great example of how good branding can serve to increase a products allure and uniqueness. The story, the logo, the typeface- it all comes together beautifully.
