Trunk Aesthetic Inspiration, Looking at flat top, latches, leather details, and colorways

A 90s Trek ad for aesthetic inspiration, see tan walls, the ostentatiously loud red frame, and the more subtly black features.

The speedy bag was quite an inspiration for first design, the crossover between trunk and handbag was well articulated, and the silhouette of the side panel helped to bridge this gap and inform the later design.

Materials research from “Louis Vuitton City Bags, A Natural History” Iterations on monogram

Materials research from “Louis Vuitton City Bags, A Natural History” Iterations on gold-plated brass findings, latches, and handles.

Sample of 6 form sketches, low in fidelity, but drawn to give an idea of form and depth.

Higher fidelity sketch, some shading, but used primarily to inform the model making. [16cm h X 24cm w X 12cm d]

Drawings and research for trunk shape and material development

Screen printing the pattern in various color combinations and scales to learn and also challenge the monogram pattern.

Bent laminating and wet molding the trunk form.

Patterning the lining and monogrammed leather material

The final bag, modeled by a classmate on his vintage Trek, complete with quick snaps for handlebar frame.

The model cannot be perfect, but creating the 3D form allows me to show the details I would wish to communicate to the atelier.

The bag wears nicely, on or off the bike, and the classic LV colors can pair with even quite colorful outfits.

Close-ups highlight the brass findings, edge binding, and slight variations in brown tones intended for this product.

I was largely inspired by these taxidermied pieces. I drew inspiration from how they relied on darts and organic shapes to refl ect the form of the animal through the material.

Again, I drew inspiration from the speedy bag, this time from the durability and foldable design.

I knew I wanted to engage with leather. I wanted to create a soft, thin bag with deep black and some sheer. I would spec this bag to be made of goat leather for its thin, soft touch, and reminiscence of how leather.

This is a goatskin leather I would have used, but I determined that this hide was out of my budget for this model, and opted for vinyl as a model replacement.

The soft, responsive draping was a nice material to work with, and the thin vinyl used was a near fit, with slightly different textures pressed into the material.

I experimented with screen printing matte on black vinyl, at 2x scale, but ultimately decided that the pattern would make too many cuts to the pattern to do the monogram pattern justice.

These samples demonstrate this experimentation.

Sample of 9 form sketches, low in fidelity, but drawn to give an idea of form and depth.

Higher fidelity sketch, some shading, but used primarily to inform the model making. [14cm h X 20cm w X 9cm d]

The final bag is sleek, supple, and soft. Careful darting reflects the asymmetry of the design, allowing it to be useful and tasteful.

The final bag is perfect for dressing up a work outfit for a small day trip.

The bag snaps on and off the bike with ease, allowing you to go from commuting to enjoying the city quickly and with ease.