Case Study: Launching A New Handbag Line

Case Study: Launching A New Handbag Line

REP ACTIVE Art is an athleisure brand founded by Dr. Ruth Penson Polson out of Birmingham, Alabama. What started as a creative outlet to combine her various passions as a dentist, artist, designer, wife and mom has now become a full fledged collection of activewear including women's and girl's tops, bottoms, and fashion accessories.

Ruth approached Mel Boteri in early 2018 asking for help on a belt bag design to complement her leggings and the active lifestyle of her clientele. She wanted something compact yet functional that was ideal for both travel and everyday.

The Proposal:

REP ACTIVE Art Proposal

The Completed Design:
- Inspired by the active lifestyle of the bold, confident and fit women wearing REP ACTIVE Art, this belt bag features a quilted leather design that mimics the upward angle of the angel wings in the brand’s logo.
- All materials were sourced out of Spain, including the leather that was selected based on its texture to best suit the silhouette and functionality of the bag design. 

Mel Boteri | OSLO Leathers

- To add to the versatility of the design, we added a detachable bracelet so that the bag could not only be worn around the waist, but also on the wrist or as a clutch. 

REP ACTIVE Art | Belt Bag Design
- The interior gold fabric lining was also sourced according to Ruth's specifications.

REP ACTIVE Art | Custom Gold Lining
- Because the packaging is as equally important as the product itself, we designed and created a custom dust bag for the proper presentation, care and storage of Ruth's bag design.

REP ACTIVE Art | Custom Packaging | Custom Dust Bags

Project timeline: Approximately 10-12 weeks from initial concept to delivery.

Production time: Approximately 4-6 weeks

We know that finding a quality manufacturer and sourcing materials is by far the trickiest and most stressful part of starting a handbag and accessories collection. If you have a design concept in mind and need help with this challenging next step, we would love to work with you! Please contact us and we'll get started on your collection right away!

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