Okay, so, I’ve been eyeing the Prada Cahier bag for a while now. It’s just so cool, like an old book but a bag! But man, those things are expensive. I was browsing online, looking at the real deal and some, uh, “inspired” versions. I love it, it’s like a piece of art. Not much else to say about it, just that it is gorgeous. Anyway, I found some pretty good dupes, but they were still a bit out of my price range. Then I started thinking, “What if I could just…make one?”
I started by gathering a ton of pictures of the Cahier bag. I found some good resources online, especially for the used ones. It’s wild how many different versions of this bag exist! Some were limited edition, others were part of a special collection, like the Galleria Saffiano Special Edition. This comprehensive guide I found was super helpful for looking at used bags, although I knew I was going to use new materials.
After studying the pictures, I sketched out a rough design. I grabbed some cardboard and started cutting and folding, trying to get the basic shape right. It was tricky, but after a few tries, I had a pretty good cardboard model.
Next, I needed to find the right materials. I went to a bunch of fabric stores and finally found some nice, thick black leather that felt just right. I also found some gold-colored metal pieces that looked similar to the ones on the real Prada bag. I spent hours searching for the right kind of clasps and corners. They are everywhere, but none of them seem to fit what I want.
The first step was cutting the leather. I used my cardboard model as a template and carefully cut out all the pieces. Then came the tricky part – sewing it all together. I’m not the best at sewing, but I managed to get it done. It took a few attempts and a lot of seam ripping, but I did it.
After the main body of the bag was assembled, I started adding the metal details. I glued and screwed them onto the leather, trying to make it look as close to the real thing as possible. It was definitely a challenge, but also kind of fun.
The final touch was the strap. I decided to use a thick gold chain I found at a craft store. I attached it to the bag, and voila! My homemade Prada Cahier bag was complete.
It’s definitely not perfect. It doesn’t have the same luxury feel as the real deal, and there are some imperfections here and there. But you know what? I made it myself, and I’m pretty proud of it. It looks good, and it’s definitely a conversation starter. Plus, I saved a ton of money! All of these came from just inspiration from the ocean of designs I found while looking for the perfect dupe.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also a really rewarding experience. Maybe next time I’ll try to remake a different bag. We’ll see. Or maybe I’ll just enjoy the bag I’ve already made.
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