HANDMADE COUTURE: You can make this look too - Pink Gucci Designer Bag

Are you or someone you love a designer handbag enthusiast? Do you sometimes find yourself staring at bags you see in magazines, or even on someone's shoulder in the grocery store wondering how to recreate that bag? Then the Handmade Couture series is for you. We pick a designer bag and tell you how to recreate it using available sewing patterns, materials and hardware.  You can have the same look, but make it totally "you" and for a fraction of the cost. When you sew your own bag you know exactly what is going into the bag and can add or modify features to suit your preferences. Today, we are going to show you how to recreate this Gucci GG Marmont mini bag:

This bag currently retails for 980 dollars and is available in 10 different colors. and measures 7" W x 5" H x 2.5" D. It would make a great night out bag or a bag for those of you who like to travel light. 

Like the look of this Gucci GG mini bag? Let's be our own brand.

Pattern + Hardware + Fabric = 

Handmade Couture

Pattern:

The Polaris Bag by Sew Sweetness is the perfect match for the Gucci GG bag. 

The Polaris bag is 9" W x 6.5" H x 2.5" D a very close match to the Gucci. It also has a zip top closure and the straps are attached at the side with a D ring. Both bags have an interior pocket; the Polaris has a zippered interior pocket, the Gucci a slip pocket so choose what you like best!

Hardware: 

To get the blinged out, high end look of the Gucci bag, Emmaline carries a very similar gold purse chain in 26" and 44" lengths. 

You will also need (2) 1" rings. The pattern calls for rectangle rings, but to style it like our inspiration bag you will want to use D rings. 

In place of the pink leather zip pull, you could make your own out of the fabric you choose or add some more bling like a tassel or a zipper pull: 

Of course, what bag would be complete without a metal label? Swap out the Gucci label in favor of a "Handmade" metal bag label:

Fabric:

The Polaris Bag features a piping accent, which is easily omitted if you want to stay true our inpriration bag.  The Gucci also has a quilted exterior in a beautiful chevron pattern, which would be easy to repicate. Just remember if you wish to quilt your bag panel to quilt the fabric before you cut your pattern pieces out! Foam interfacing is a great medium to quilt on and for your quilting to stand out. No need to add anything other than what's called for in the pattern. 

This pink faux leather found on Etsy is a great match for the inspiration bag and is available here. 

If you want the real thing you can find some soft pink leather like this one on Etsy:

For a more unique choice, have you tried sewing with cork? It's so easy to work with and adds interest to any bag. You can get it from Sew Sweetness if you are in the US available here. If you are in Canada you can order from MM Cork Supply here. 

You can always choose to do this in whatever fabric you are comfortable working with! A fun cotton print, canvas or even denim!  That's the benefit of creating your own, it's what YOU want it to be. Handmade can be couture too!

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Photos and content provided and written for Emmaline Bags by Cyndi Farfsing, from The Nosy Pepper. Cyndi's blog is chock is full of more bag photos and make making tips. Check out her bag series "It's in the Bag! Better Bag Making Series," to learn a ton of new bag making skills.

Share your projects made from Emmaline patterns and/or with Emmaline hardware in our facebook group Emmaline Sewing Patterns Group, or on instagram with the hashtags #emmalinehardware, #emmalinepatterns, #emmalinebags, or tag us @emmalinebags.