Pia Bag

Soft Goods Design

Skills Utilized

Adobe Illustrator, Prototyping, Hand Sewing, & Using an industrial Sewing Machine (JUKI)

Mission Objective

Design an essential going out bag with an organic shape and a neutral color palette with a target audience of 16-32 year olds.

PIA BAG

ESSENTIAL GOING OUT BAG

A close-up of a beige and brown canvas tote bag with an open top, showing a transparent phone case inside. The bag has brown straps and metal rings at the attachment points.

THE INSPIRATION

My inspiration was Pia Mier Y Teran. Her aesthetic of curvilinear form, natural hues, and what she needed to carry in a bag completely influenced the design choices.

A woman with curly hair wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, looking at the camera with her face close-up, at the beach with the ocean in the background.

PIA MIER Y TERAN

CLIENT & NAMESAKE

Twenty-one year old College student

Gallery Assistant & Teaching Assistant

Lives between Mérida, Yucatán & Rochester, NY

Lives in a Sorority House

Likes shopping, working out, & traveling

Goes out to boutiques, beaches, restaurants, & bars

Style is minimalist and artsy

WHAT’S IN HER BAG?

iPhone

Keys

Lip gloss

Credit Cards

Perfume

Mascara

CLIENT WANTS A SIMPLE, STYLISH BAG FOR GOING OUT!

PROCESS

SKETCHES

Line drawing of various types of bags arranged in rows, some with shaded areas indicating different styles.

A hand holding a purse strap, large, rounded container, possibly a bag, with a drawing of a front and side view of a bag with labels for interior details, including an inner lining, zipper, and brown color.

I created divergent bag forms and had the client chose which forms she liked the most. Then, further explored one of the shapes and visualized the bag with a final sketch.

PAPER PROTOTYPES

First paper prototype of a purse, made from folded paper with notes written on the side.

Second paper prototype of a purse with an organic form.

Third paper prototype of a purse with star a cut out, sitting on a table with a gray wall and a dress form in the background.

The first paper model was flat and boxy. However, the second paper model had a more organic form that I wanted to emulate in the muslin prototypes.

MUSLIN PROTOTYPES

Cream-colored fabric bag with frayed straps hanging from a wall hook.

Close-up of a hand holding a piece of beige fabric or cloth with visible stitching, hanging over a white surface or countertop.

Transferring the design from paper to muslin was successful!

But, adding lining on the second muslin prototype caused changes to the way the bag was constructed.

COTTON PROTOTYPES

A fabric bag with handles, made of beige and dark brown textured material, hanging against a white wall.

Close-up of a hand holding a woven fabric basket with a beige base and dark brown edges against a plain background.

The cotton prototype was deflated so I need to add interfacing to the final model to give it more structure.

A beige and brown bag with long straps hanging, displayed against a plain white background.

Beige and brown fabric tote bag with brown shoulder straps against a white background.

FINAL

The Pia Bag's unique form is sure to complete your look and hold all your essential items as you go out on the town.

FEATURES

A small beige and brown fabric handbag with a shoulder strap, containing a smartphone inside.

D-RINGS

25” HANDLE

ZIPPER

Read all the technical specifications and design details for the Pia Bag by clicking the button below.

THE TECH PACK

PIA BAG V2

RETURN TO NATURE

Made with a dark brown faux suede leather and an upcycled upholstery fabric, the Pia Bag V2 uses earth tones so the user can feel in tuned with their surroundings as they reconnect with nature.

A brown bag hanging from a tree branch with a background of leafless trees and a clear blue sky.

A brown purse with yellow circles hanging on a tree branch in a grassy field.

Close-up of a woman wearing a green tank top with ear-length black hair, multiple colorful beaded necklaces, and a brown and orange patterned bag strap visible on her shoulder, standing outdoors on grass with bare trees in background.

Close-up of a woman wearing a green tank top and a layered beaded necklace, standing outdoors on grass with trees in the background.

Person standing outdoors on grass, wearing beige sneakers, dark pants, and a brownish coat, holding a brown bag with yellow circles.