Evelyne Wanjiku crafted a unique, elegant leather bag for Sybille, blending functionality with a personal touch, ensuring a delightful surprise. What's your wish?
A request by Sybille from Remlingen , Germany
I like to have a unisex leather bag. Size: Width 20 cm; Length 2,5 cm; Height 20 cm
Please find the attached Pictures of my favorite old bag. It has a strap of 1,35 m length (adjustable). Feel free to give it a nice individual Design of your choice – I like to be surprised. 🙂
The Journey of Creating custom made unisex leather bag
Negotiation & Planning
Hello Sybille, I am happy to provide you an offer for your handbag.
This is a very beautiful handbag and I would be happy to recreate it.
I may find it hard to source for this particular soft shiny leather. What I can propose is tan pull up leather so it has a similar colour. Let me know if this will work for you.
Other colours that easily available to me include, dark brown, red, black, green, pink and purple. Let me know if any of these would interest you.
I may also attach a detachable tussle with beautiful African beads on the side just to make the colour pop. What do you think of this? The tussle could also be attached on the face of the handbag as a decoration.
Looking forward to hearing your ideas..
Hello Evelyne,
I think the Pink colour would be a really nice idea and combined with some nice African beads it’ll be a beautiful bag for summer.
I’m looking forward to hear from you
Thank you Sybille for getting back.
I'll do it in pink and give it some beautiful bead work.
Since I now have the idea of what you want, is it ok if I proceed to making the bag for you?
It will take the same shape, but only the colour of the leather we will use will change.
Looking forward to your confirmation..
Dear Sybille, I would like to proceed with making your purse now.
I hope you will like the new look of your favourite handbag.
Crafting Process
Artisan’s Progress Updates
Hi Sybille,
I hope your weekend was good.
Today, I'll start drawing the pattern for your bag, and the stitching will start tomorrow.
I hope you will love it. I should be done with the major parts by tomorrow evening.
Dear Sybille,
I hope your weekend was good.
I am currently working on your handbag.
I've just finished cutting the pattern as you can see in the video.
Next i will be cutting and attaching the lining, then the stitching will begin.
I hope to have it ready for by tomorrow.
I hope you will love your new handbag.
Have a nice day.
Hello Evelyne,
I had a quite lazy but comfy weekend due to our lockdown over here, thanks for asking. I guess yours was a bit busier but also good 🙂
Thank you for keeping me updated. This is very nice evolving.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Color and the pattern you have chosen! This bag will be an awesome Designer-Piece 🙂
I’m happy that Jochen got me into this unique kind of “online-shopping”
You too have a nice day and stay safe.
Kindest regards,
Sybille
Thank you Sybille for your kind words.
I'm enjoying working on your pink bag. Today the pattern got finished. I have started stitching I hope to be done by tomorrow.
Jochen is doing a good job. I'm also happy to also be able to make people outside my country happy.
I hope you will want to make more and more once you get this one.
Have a good evening.
Oh hello Evelyne,
that was a quick response 🙂
I already thought about a matching belt in pink. Just one without a buckle to wrap around and make a knot with the ends in front. It would be a sewing work and a have belts like this that I could show you for example. I think that would be nice and we can safe on freight. Would this be possible? 🙂
That's a great idea Sybille!!
Send me photos of what you would like, and i will start working on it immediately.
The bag is already stitched up. I finished this morning. Now just putting in the final touches of putting in the beads. It takes up abit of time because they are small beads, but I will send you the final picture today.
Please see attached photo of how it has come up.
Evelyne Wanjiku 09 Feb 2021 7:44 am
That's a great idea Sybille!!
Send me photos of the belt you would like, and i will start working on it immediately.
The bag is already stitched up. I finished this morning. Now just putting in the final touches of putting in the beads. It takes up abit of time because they are small beads. The beadwork is done by a women group based here in Nairobis biggest artisan market. I've attached a photo where you can see them at work.
Please see attached photo of how the bag has come up. I added a few personal touches to make it pop coz I thought plain pink would get full. I've added some hide, and a small Kenyan flag. The inside is our workshops signature lining. It's in African tribal lining.
I hope you will enjoy the bag as much as I've enjoyed redesigning it.
Let me know if you need any changes or any additions to it.haveva nice afternoon.
That's a great idea Sybille!!
Send me photos of the belt you would like, and i will start working on it immediately.
Alternatively, since I think I get your idea, you can allow me to surprise you with a nice design for the belt. Using the same pink leather.
The cost for the belt will be 20euro.
The urban lab may add vat. I've requested that they let you know how much it would be in total.
The bag is already stitched up. I finished this morning. Now just putting in the final touches of putting in the beads. It takes up abit of time because they are small beads. The beadwork is done by a women group based here in Nairobis biggest artisan market. I've attached a photo where you can see them at work.
Please see attached photo of how the bag has come up. I added a few personal touches to make it pop coz I thought plain pink would get dull. I've added some hide, and a small Kenyan flag. The inside is our workshops signature lining. It's in African tribal lining.
I hope you will enjoy the bag as much as I've enjoyed redesigning it.
Let me know if you need any changes or any additions to it. Have a nice afternoon.
Wow! Evelyne! This is such a beautiful bag! 🙂 I’m already looking forward to summer and finally wearing it. Thank you so much!
I attached some pictures from the kind of belt a was describing before. Feel free again to create another beautiful unique piece of your handcraft. (My waist is 85 cm.
Kindest,
Sybille
I'm so happy that you like the bag. I can't wait for you to have it. 😊
The belt design looks good. I'm sure it will look amazing in pink.
Let me see how I can make it look as pretty as the bag and get back to you with photos and a video on the design stage.
This can be done tomorrow.
Have a great evening.
Thank you, Evelyne!
Have a nice evening, too!
Dear Sybille,
I hope your day is going well.
Please see the new photos and a small video of the process of making your belt.
The final belt is also attached. I hope you will love them.
Dear Evelyne,
very nice! I love it!
Thank you so much! Jochen will send an additional invoice for the belt.
Kindest regards,
Sybille
Thank you so much Sybille for allowing us to make these two beautiful items.
I really l hope you will love them. Incase you need anything else, do let Jochen know because I would be very happy to work with you again.
Should you like to follow some of the designs we create in our workshop, check us out on Instagram. The page is Chemachetu. This is a swahili word that means 'ours is good'
Have a great evening and thanks once again.
Evelyne
Dear Evelyne,
thank you very much, it was a pleasure.
Just one Question: are the cut edges hemmed in with seams?
Kindest,
Sybille
Hi Sybille,
Sorry I've taken sometime to get back to you.
The belt gas raw edges. I've attached an upclose photo so that you see how it looks like.
Please do let me know if you would like it hemmed, also if you would like us to double up the leather on the back side of the belt.
The leather is very light just perfect for tying.
Would you like to have beads added to the tussles to match the removable ones on the bag?
Dear Eve,
yes, please double it up and and add the beads as well 🙂
Thank you so much!
Have a good day
Thanks Sybille.
Allow me to do that today. I hope I'll have it ready by tomorrow.
I'll send you the photos.
Have a nice day.
Thank you, have a nice day, too.
Dear Sybille,
I hope your weekend is going well.
I'm happy to let you know that your order is now complete.
Thank you for all the support you have given us throughout the process including prompt response and clear pictures. Your enthusiasm has also been very encouraging.
I hope you will enjoy these as much as we have enjoyed making them for you.
Please have a look at the attached photo for the finished belt and purse. The shoulder bag was sent earlier.
Have a nice weekend.
Best regards,
Evelyne
Dear Evelyne,
thank you so much for your creativity and this absolutely beautiful results. I’m looking forward to proudly wearing my outstanding bags and belt. 🙂
Thank you and take care!
Kind regards,
Sybille
Final Delivery – The Completed Piece in Photos
Customer Photos After Delivery
The Finished Unique Piece – Individually Handmade
Reference: ON004778E-22480
Detailed Cost Breakdown
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Cost of material |
39.16
|
| Cost of labour |
15.66
|
| Cost of packaging |
1.17
|
| Cost of delivery to local operations manager |
2.35
|
| Subtotal – payout to artisan |
58.34
|
| Customer acquisition costs (advertising etc.) |
5.83
|
| Handling fee Urban Change Lab |
5.83
|
| Shipping costs from Kenya to Germany* |
20
|
| VAT (Germany)* |
13.3
|
| Total |
107.1
|
*Shipping costs and VAT vary depending on your location.
