jolav.blog: Alex Petit

I have been working on a unisex bag for quite a while, with little to no success, and Alex Petit was one of those attempts. But, even though the leather I use for this design is far sturdier and rustic, the size of this bag would take it right back to the ladies' side of things. And, so would the knots.

I initially worked on two sizes of Alex, but the larger version of it resembled a laptop bag, especially, since I first intended to use a magnet for closure, instead of the button. Laptop bags are nearly the only bags men carry these days (besides gym duffles), but, to me, unfortunately, a laptop bag encompasses everything, that is boring about mainstream menswear. I had no interest in making more laptop bags.

After the small Alex prototype was finished, I decided to shelf the design, and continue drafting ideas for a unisex bag (I eventually landed on this one, but that design will get it's own post). I tied many knots and swapped the magnet closure idea for a vintage button...

Alex Petit was a small - definitely, - ladies bag, and, even though it had a very different look from all my other work, I did not see it as a part of my third collection.

Antique Brown

As the Collection progressed, I created the other styles, and assigned colours to each of them. Alex Petit remained just a prototype, a one-off purse, meant to go straight onto the sample rack... Until I first showed it this past summer.

Oakwood, Prototype

The prototype found it's home at the Harmony Arts Festival in July; I also took a few orders for it and shortly made the first Alex Petit batch, still somewhat surprised about the response to a bag, not much bigger, than a wallet. This style also flew of the rack at the shows to follow, and I guess by then, I was convinced to keep it.

Birchwood

Alex Petit has now several leathers assigned to it, and is the last design of FW 2011 Cebrellex to be finally listed at the Web-shop. It has been going just too fast!