where can i find about leather handbag designing and making ? is there
any online course or e-books or any document that i can download. I
really want to know how Prada, Gucci handbag making step by step and
what kind of material they use.Is there any tutorial ?

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Clarification of Question by vinayaka-ga on 09 May 2005 11:56 PDT

and i need to know how to make leather handbag like italian leather handbag

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Clarification of Question by vinayaka-ga on 09 May 2005 14:06 PDT

i already put $200 for it i can raise it if you want

Dear Vinayaka, 

Unlike what zdubidoc-ga has written, there is no real "secret" here.
However, Gucci or Parada haven't been where they're at if everyone
just knew how they make their bags. The components there are
innovative design (something you either have or not, and then maybe
have to copy); good training (not from a book or a tutorial, but from
several years of apprenticeship; and high quality material.

However, here are several steps, with which you can start. 

General Information
===================
Sites which provide some idea. 

Making  a Custom Made Leather Handbag
<http://home.alltel.net/henryh/Custom-Leather-Handbag.html> 

Lets make another custom handbag
<http://home.alltel.net/henryh/MakingHandbag.html> 
Both of these link explain step-by-step, how he makes custom handbag.
However, this is of course not enough for someone who had never done
this before.


Tutorials and Distance Learning Methods
=======================================
You can start here, but if you want to become a real designer, you'd
better consider a "real" school (from the next list).

Leather Connection Tutorials
<http://www.theleatherconnection.com/id22.htm> 
The site sells three tutorials, and plans to issue one specialising only in bags. 

Making Handbags: Retro, Chic, Luxurious
Ellen Goldstein-Lynch, Sarah Mullins, Nicole Malone 
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1564968499/> 

Making Leather Handbags and Other Stylish Accessories
by Ellen Goldstein-Lynch, Sarah Mullins, Nicole Malone
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1592530761> 

Handmade Bags
by Terence Terry, Caroline Darke
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0873493893> 

Hip Handbags : Creating & Embellishing 40 Great-Looking Bags
by Valerie Shrader
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/157990601X> 

Shoe School - Video Tutorial - Bags - Belts & Accessories 
<http://www.shoeschool.com/shoeschool/workshops/distance_learning.html>

Making Handbags
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007RDR8S> 
instructional DVD


Schools where you can learn the profession
==========================================
If you're serious about becoming "like Gucci" in your quality,
learning to swim in correspondence, or learning to make handbags
without being in a professional studio - will not work.

Polimoda
<http://www.polimoda.com/> 
An Italian fashion school. They offer a degree in fashion design, and
naturally also have focus on leather design.

Academia Riaci 
<http://www.accademiariaci.info/italiano/academics/oneyear/leather.html> 
Another Italian school, offering a one-year course in bag design and making. 

Fashion School of Design - International Fashion Institute
<http://www.imb.it/special/accessories.htm> 
A third Italian institute, offering a course in accessories. 

University of Arts, London
<http://www.arts.ac.uk> 
The university offers numerous courses in leather design and making: 
Fashion in Leather
<http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses/6454.htm> 
Fashion in Leather II 
<http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses/6452.htm> 
Advanced Techniques for Leather Accessories 
<http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses/6450.htm> 
Box Work Handbags 
<http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses/9082.htm> 
Accessories Workshop 
<http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/shortcourses/6456.htm> 

Wallsall College of Arts and Technology 
<http://www.walcat.ac.uk/index_graphics.php?sid=284&cat=Creative+Arts-Leather&subcat=Leather>
Offers several courses on leather design, as well as an apprenticeship. 

Make Workshops: 
1. intro to handbags
2. making leather handbags with michelle courtois
<http://www.makeworkshop.com/make_classes/sewing.htm> 
Workshops held in New York. 

I hope this answered your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it.

i already seen those sites, but thank you for your questions

How much are you willing to pay for information available only to
specilised firms? For giving you such information I can lose my job so
it must be well paid.

if you can give me better answer how much do you want ?i need all
information about it, i mean documents i can download step by step and
what kind of materials do i need, what kind of machines, mock up
design, 3D design with CAD/CAM

i am also interested in desiging handbags,but have no clue the best
ways to start.The schools of fashion can only give you overview
information but not the required information to give you an edge in
the market..I need those information??????

Hi,

 You can only learn to make handbags of this quality by going into
formal education. Especially considering you want to make very high
quality bags - you wouldn't be able to learn this from an ebook!
Probably the best benefit of this is that you get the contacts as well
as the tuition - when you're dealing with a more rich clientiele, most
of the emphasis is getting friendly with your potential clients and
then introducing your products to them. It's all about contacts. From
there, they would then introduce your products to their friends. Dolce
and gabbana started this way.

 Also you could do with buying some designer bags and taking a good
look at how they're made. Otherwise you don't know what quality you
have to provide for the prices you'll be selling at. It sounds a
costly exercise i know... but you can try buying some vintage/second
hand designer bags if you haven't got the money.

 You do really need a formal qualification for the path you want to go
in, as you would probably start working for a designer handbag company
to learn the ins and outs of it (and they wouldn't employ you if you
haven't got a qualification).

 You can do a part time degree and work at the same time. My aunt did
this with her art degree and according to her it's easier to balance
the two then it seems. I can't see how you can go about this without
taking that route - but i think it would be most beneficial for you.

 Here are some sites i found if you want to look at designer handbags online:
 http://www.vogue.co.uk

 Or you could try going into designing replica designer handbags. Here
are some examples:
 http://www.handbagsworld.com/
 http://www.luxury-leather-goods.com 

 There are plenty of replica designer handbags and this seems like a
good route to go into.

 Hope my advice helps - emma