Designer Handbag Alphabet

Sometimes I let a new project find me. I wait for something to spark an idea that puts me on high-alert and begs me to design it. This project definitely made its way to me when I came across this meticulously-crafted flower alphabet. A beautiful interpretation of the English alphabet, of 26 symbols that we continuously put together to form our everyday thoughts.

Thévy Guex

Thévy Guex

I combed through Pinterest boards and found numerous variations from illustrated birds and foods to strategically positioned safety pins and rubber bands. Each incredibly unique, charming and smile-inducing.

Andrea Kalfas

Andrea Kalfas

Vidhya Nagarajan

Vidhya Nagarajan

Zumra Waheed

Zumra Waheed

Florent Chau

Florent Chau

Karen Bueno

Karen Bueno

Jenny Kyvik Hutchens

Jenny Kyvik Hutchens

I could not wait to get in on the action and decided to create a handbag version showcasing iconic bags from the world's biggest names in fashion. Anyone who knows me knows that I love handbags. This project would be just the thing to satisfy my bag addiction without breaking the bank.

Some letters were no-brainers - G for Gucci, H for Hermès, V for Valentino. For others like the letter C I had to tearfully choose amongst my beloved Chanel, Céline, and Chloé.

Preliminary brainstorming and sketching

Preliminary brainstorming and sketching

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A: Anya Hindmarch
B: Balenciaga
C: Chanel
D: Dior
E: Emilio Pucci
F: Fendi
G: Gucci

H: Hermès
I: Issey Miyake
J: Jason Wu
K: Kate Spade
L: Louis Vuitton
M: Mulberry
N: Narciso Rodriguez

O: Oscar de la Renta
P: Prada
Q: Alexander McQueen
R: Ralph Lauren
S: Salvatore Ferragamo
T: Tory Burch
U: Urania Gazelli

V: Valentino
W: Alexander Wang
X: X-patterned tote
Y: Yves Saint Laurent
Z: Zac Posen

I did not stop here. I was preparing to leave my job and decided to design personalized goodbye cards for roughly fifty of my colleagues, many of whom who share my bag addiction. I thought it would be perfect to utilized my freshly-designed alphabet to spell my coworkers' names on each card. Here are a few examples:

Clark (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Anya Hindmarch, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade)

Clark (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Anya Hindmarch, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade)

Claire (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Anya Hindmarch, Issey Miyake, Ralph Lauren, Emilio Pucci)

Claire (Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Anya Hindmarch, Issey Miyake, Ralph Lauren, Emilio Pucci)

Michael (Mulberry, Issey Miyake, Chanel, Hermès, Anya Hindmarch, Emilio Pucci, Louis Vuitton)

Michael (Mulberry, Issey Miyake, Chanel, Hermès, Anya Hindmarch, Emilio Pucci, Louis Vuitton)

Oceane (Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Emilio Pucci, Anya Hindmarch, Narciso Rodriguez, Emilio Pucci)

Oceane (Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Emilio Pucci, Anya Hindmarch, Narciso Rodriguez, Emilio Pucci)

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Signing away, one card at a time.

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And for my collegues located in other parts of the world, I also created an email version of the goodbye card for them. Can you figure out what the handbags spell out?

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