Bags to the future
August 20, 2004 | 12:00am
Next to jewelry and shoes, bags are the ultimate must-haves that can either make or break an outfit. Boring clothes can be transformed into something fashionable with the right bag. Like every woman, I own dozens of bags for everyday use – traveling, working out or hitting the bars. My dream is to own a black crocodile-skin Birkin bag by Hermes. It costs around US$7,000 to 10,000 and there is a five-year waiting list. It will probably take me around 10 years, or even more, to save that much money. By that time, the price would have doubled or even tripled. On second thought, never mind! I think it would be best if I created my own hip bag. Just like 27-year-old ad agency girl Carol Ong.
Carol has a knack for making unique bags from interesting everyday things.
"It started around 2000," she says.
"I’ve always wanted to have an iron bag because that’s what we used before in Bacolod. And then, I found an iron in a market and made it into a bag. People in the office went crazy over it."
Inspiration from this certified bag-maker and collector comes out only when she is stressed.
"I do a lot of things at the same time. When I’m thinking, I have to do something with my hands – I have to twist balloons or draw caricatures of people that I meet. During boring meetings, I doodle or draw little clothes or whatever. I face-paint as well."
Carol tells me she had another interesting sideline years ago, which was making funky ballpens out of plastic flowers.
Her bag collection include a durian-shaped mini-basket, silver potpourri ball, coconut husk bag, radio box, Chuck Taylor combat trainers, flat iron, twisted balloon bag and another made from a coconut shell. No matter the size of her display bags, there is one requirement: You can’t really put a lot of stuff in them.
Carol likes wearing her happy bags first before thinking of outfits to match them. There are also times when she doesn’t care if her bag will match her outfit at all.
Margaret the Iron Lady is Carol’s favorite. She usually wears it to make people happy and give them something to laugh about. "People think I’m clueless but they don’t get the irony of things," says Carol. Inside the iron bag, she lined it with red cloth to match the handle. She used the rubber strap from strollers. Unusual, eh? Now, why didn’t I think of that first?
Bombo Radyo instantly caught my attention. I never thought this was possible. It takes sheer imagination to turn an AM radio into a bag. This useful bag is not only for display but also for listening to the news during special events like rallies and typhoons.
The Umbag or boxing glove was born from a boring meeting. Carol imagined punching someone, and from that idea, she created the bag that packs a wallop. The only material she added to the glove was a durable black string for the strap.
Coco Suka is a coconut shell bag, which she bought from a bargain stall. A smiling face was painted on it and glossed with varnish to make it shiny. This bag could definitely spice up a plain outfit. Carol even had a contest to name this bag and Coco Suka was chosen.
Carol’s cutest bag is made out of balloons that she twisted herself. You will either love or hate the Airbag. It would be nice to have one for display or simply to pop it like bubble-wrap. The Airbag lasts for five days and it only takes 30 minutes to make, based on all the research and experimentation she made.
Sorry ladies, Carol does not sell her precious bags.
"Actually people tell me that I should sell them. This was way before weird bags became the fad. I made these bags for myself just for fun. Eventually, I would find time and make more. But so far, I haven’t sold any. But wherever I go, people inquire about the Iron."
It is not hard to believe that someone as adventurous and witty as Carol can make unique bags that define her personality.
All it takes is imagination. The rest is in the bag.
Carol has a knack for making unique bags from interesting everyday things.
"It started around 2000," she says.
"I’ve always wanted to have an iron bag because that’s what we used before in Bacolod. And then, I found an iron in a market and made it into a bag. People in the office went crazy over it."
Inspiration from this certified bag-maker and collector comes out only when she is stressed.
"I do a lot of things at the same time. When I’m thinking, I have to do something with my hands – I have to twist balloons or draw caricatures of people that I meet. During boring meetings, I doodle or draw little clothes or whatever. I face-paint as well."
Carol tells me she had another interesting sideline years ago, which was making funky ballpens out of plastic flowers.
Her bag collection include a durian-shaped mini-basket, silver potpourri ball, coconut husk bag, radio box, Chuck Taylor combat trainers, flat iron, twisted balloon bag and another made from a coconut shell. No matter the size of her display bags, there is one requirement: You can’t really put a lot of stuff in them.
Carol likes wearing her happy bags first before thinking of outfits to match them. There are also times when she doesn’t care if her bag will match her outfit at all.
Margaret the Iron Lady is Carol’s favorite. She usually wears it to make people happy and give them something to laugh about. "People think I’m clueless but they don’t get the irony of things," says Carol. Inside the iron bag, she lined it with red cloth to match the handle. She used the rubber strap from strollers. Unusual, eh? Now, why didn’t I think of that first?
Bombo Radyo instantly caught my attention. I never thought this was possible. It takes sheer imagination to turn an AM radio into a bag. This useful bag is not only for display but also for listening to the news during special events like rallies and typhoons.
The Umbag or boxing glove was born from a boring meeting. Carol imagined punching someone, and from that idea, she created the bag that packs a wallop. The only material she added to the glove was a durable black string for the strap.
Coco Suka is a coconut shell bag, which she bought from a bargain stall. A smiling face was painted on it and glossed with varnish to make it shiny. This bag could definitely spice up a plain outfit. Carol even had a contest to name this bag and Coco Suka was chosen.
Carol’s cutest bag is made out of balloons that she twisted herself. You will either love or hate the Airbag. It would be nice to have one for display or simply to pop it like bubble-wrap. The Airbag lasts for five days and it only takes 30 minutes to make, based on all the research and experimentation she made.
Sorry ladies, Carol does not sell her precious bags.
"Actually people tell me that I should sell them. This was way before weird bags became the fad. I made these bags for myself just for fun. Eventually, I would find time and make more. But so far, I haven’t sold any. But wherever I go, people inquire about the Iron."
It is not hard to believe that someone as adventurous and witty as Carol can make unique bags that define her personality.
All it takes is imagination. The rest is in the bag.
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