The year in Custom....

One of the things, that started in the just by-gone 2012, was our Custom Service. Since Spring we received a substantial number of vintage, old, damaged, outdated leather coats, skirts and other random pieces, even a few fur outerwear articles, to re-make into custom OOAK handbags.

Pre-made leather items make for a very different work process, than plain hides, due to their varied characteristics, existing features and surface treatment. Every pre-made item poses a new creative challenge.

Our designs transformed along with the source items, and became unique blends of both, carrying over the best features and qualities of the source item, adapted to our wearable build.

Here are some of the highlights amongst our Custom Service creations:

Some of you wished to slightly modify our existing designs to better suit your needs.

Telia with a cross-body strap

Telia with a cross-body strap and hardware

Vintage coats are incredibly adaptive - the softness of garment leather works great for tassels, folds and other detailing. It was an exciting exploration to work with them.

The Starter, made of a vintage coat

Kerry, made of a vintage coat, featuring unique front pocket

Some of you gave us your old leather or fur items, just out of the kindness of the heart - like this wonderful coat, that was handed over in October. Parts of it were integrated into a one-of-a-kind design for the coats former owner: a shorter strap shoulder purse with upholstery leather and recycled fur.

Satchel, Harness Brown and Fur

This particular design challenged me to figure out some new ways to construct, close and seal a bag, which I would not have learned otherwise. Building after someone else's design is a great learning experience.

Satchel, Harness Brown and Fur

Satchel, Harness Brown and Fur

Some of you went for our designs without any changes --

Telia, Harness Brown

Vintage coats host some great built-in features, that can become a focal point of the design. This large tote will be released shortly, as a part of our upcoming collection, and this is a recycled version of it made right in the outset of the Custom Service.

Tote (Marife) in black vintage coat

Some of you brought your old gifts - to be re-made into new gifts, in a form of a handbag. This beautiful vintage skirt has been repurposed as a slightly altered Virga bag, from our Pre-Fall Coming Of Age 2010 collection...

... and there was a bunch more....

To learn more about our Custom Service, pls check out this post.
We will continue to re-use and recycle the old and rescued jackets into the new year...

Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com