Are you searching for that perfect handbag? Well, instead of going
from store to store, what if you could design your own? As Brooklyn
Week continues on NY1, Jill Scott introduces us to one bag designer
who turns to you, and the borough he loves, for inspiration.
A little stitch, a little steam, and before you know it this project
is in the bag. Designer Aaron Sciandra is the man behind Brooklyn
Bags, a line of custom handbags that are, well, made in Brooklyn.
“Every bag is made to order,” says Sciandra. “There
are lists of option on the website that you can choose from. Also,
since every bag is made to order, people often times ask for little
changes or big changes, and it's basically anything goes.”
Sciandra makes everything; purses, evening bags, man bags, even bridal
wear. His products are sold online or at small boutiques throughout
the country, but they are all made by hand in his small Clinton Hill
studio.
A lot of his fabrics are vintage pieces he finds at thrift shops
or specialty stores.
How he makes the bags is pretty simple. Following his own patterns,
he cuts and sews all the pieces together, even makes his own buttons.
But it's his delicate hand and creative eye that makes each bag unique.
“The individualism of them I think is part of it,” says
customer Katherine Kennedy. “They are a little funkier than
a lot of stuff on the market. They have little touches maybe like
the closers or the way the straps fasten to it that is a little different
than what you see everywhere else.”
Now we all know New Yorkers know what they like, and a nice thing
about a custom bag is you not only get to design the outside, but
you can also design the inside. You can pick the fabric for the lining,
decide how big you want the pockets, or you could even attach a matching
change purse.
“Often times people have very, very specific needs for the
bags,” says Sciandra. “One time I got an order from an
MIT student who actually sent me a schematic for the bag that she
wanted that had about 25 different pockets that were all specific
sizes. I made it up or her and she was really happy with it.”
Even though Sciandra is a graduate of Brooklyn's Pratt Institute,
designing bags actually started as a fluke. He was looking for an
affordable gift for a friend and decided to make it himself. From
there, requests started pouring in.
To have a bag made takes about 2-4 weeks, and the price won't pull
at your purse strings. The Brooklyn originals run between $40 and
$60.
For more information you can visit www.brooklynbags.com.
So the next time you are struggling to find that perfect handbag,
Aaron Sciandra may just come through in a "clutch."
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