Can you tell us about your journey as a designer and how you became interested in up-cycling and working with used materials?
Therefore, my parents are both in the creative field (mom interiors and textiles, dad illustration and graphics). Being creative was present in my upbringing. After art school and working in different places, I never felt completely satisfied with my options of going to college or something else. I always had the urge to create something that I could be proud of and identify with. My dad was always a fashion inspiration to me; he taught me a lot about the different textiles and qualities of fabrics. As a teenager, I then tried to find good-quality clothing or special designs. Because I did not have a lot of money, I opted for secondhand shops or flea markets. But of course, after maturing, I realized that the fashion and textile industries aren’t all fun and games at all and that something will have to change drastically in the future. Ever since I have had a great passion for finding sustainable ways to express my style or general identity. That brought me to the idea of creating something new from already-existing materials. After having a creative process, I concentrated on my love for handbags. The next step was to bring my passion for used materials and a unique design into existence. After trying out a couple of things, I stuck with the design that felt best.
What inspires your bag designs?
Are there any specific themes, cultures, or artistic movements that influence your creative process? I would say that I am mostly inspired by the imperfect. I find that we live in times where we are constantly put under pressure to be perfect or exact. And of course, I just love the playfulness of colors and forms. My designs are inspired by the beauty of materials that deserve a second chance. Even if my technique is thought through, I still like to go with the flow and see what comes out at the end. For every bag, I get inspired by different themes, cultures, or artistic movements. For instance, my orange flower mini bag was inspired by 70s colors and music. The froté that I used was also from that era.
I like to give all my bags a unique name to show what feeling, color, or even object might have inspired that piece.
What factors influence your design choices?
It’s important to me to let my thoughts and feelings come out most naturally. Kind of listening to the materials‘ feel or structure often lets me know what will work and what wouldn’t. So in general, just doing what feels right brings me to the result that I most wish for.
How do you see your work evolving in the future? Are there any new techniques or materials you’re interested in exploring?
I have a lot of visions for STICKYHARMONY in the future, pop-ups, bigger working spaces, and employees. New designs, or even completely different items or objects. I am very excited to see what the future brings. After seeing how my brand and I have grown in the past year. I am very passionate about the future. I am always curious about seeing and finding new sustainable materials, and it’s amazing what options there are; it’s endless, haha. But for now, I am very happy about how everything is going, so I’ll stick with that for a bit.
What is your favorite style of handbag and why?
I love a MINI bag in any shape – it is so cute.
Do you have any handbags that hold significant meaning to you?
My first handbags, when I started my creative process, have a special meaning to me. They always show me that if you believe in yourself and stick to it, you will see progress. All my bags have a special place in my heart; they are all a picture of the feeling or thought I had when making them.
What essential items do you always carry in your bag?
My keys, wallet, lipgloss, sunglasses, phone, and most important, headphones I love music!
Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?
I think it’s important to keep in mind that we in the Western world have so many options in any category and, at the same time, are responsible for a lot of waistlines and environmental harm. So being grateful and finding sustainable ways of living should have a place in our daily lives. Even doing a little goes further than we might think. And lastly, I would like to emphasize that you can do anything that you put your heart into. I had a time in my life when believing in myself wasn’t easy, but being true to yourself and not putting too much weight on what other people think or say about you is so important in my eyes.
STICKYHARMONY – www.instagram.com/instickyharmony/
