Fashion Bags and Accessories Creative Design and Production

Fashion bags and accessories are a constant force driving innovative design, creative branding and sales across the global fashion industry. New categories of accessories such as wearable technology cases are boosting market growth and the global fashion accessories market is predicted to increase by 6.5% in the next five years.

This book will explore fashion bags and related accessories, such as purses, wallets, clutches, cases, gloves and belts, through various approaches to creative design, product development, technological innovation, materials development, component design (hardware) and branding. Readers will become familiar with key constructions – T base, Turned, Bucket or Baguette bags and gain grounding in both traditional craft-making techniques and contemporary digital manufacturing process. Traditional accessory materials like leather will be considered alongside new and emerging sustainable materials. It will also explore key elements of fashion bags and accessories like component design, signature branding and logo design.

Primarily aimed at students on fashion design, product design, or specialized accessories courses, the book will also be a go-to reference for professionals wishing to move into this product area.

Darla-Jane Gilroy is Associate Dean of Knowledge Exchange

Reader in Fashion and Enterprise.

She has extensive teaching experience having lectured at London College of Fashion, Ravensbourne, The University of Westminster, Southhampton University, the University of East London, and the Royal College of Art. A key figure of the Blitz scene and a former fashion designer, Gilroy has played an influential role in British fashion since the 1980s and her design work has been exhibited at the V&A. She has maintained her professional practice through her trends consultancy, The Future Perfect.