One Week Accessory Design Course

Design and mock up bags and accessories – Learn how to plan, design, and communicate your project.


Melissa Bruscoli
Melissa Bruscoli
5.0 (13)
Instagram followers 3k followers

5 x 7 hours

Class size 1 on 1 (public classes), 1 to 6
  £1,210 (PayPal Pay in 3 available)

This course is tailored for beginners and intermediate-level participants, offering a distinctive group class format designed to assist aspiring designers or those seeking guidance in bringing to life a practical and viable collection of bags and/or accessories.
Through the sessions, you will gain a comprehensive grasp of fundamental skills in accessory design and what it requires to become a bag designer. It empowers you to transform your creative concepts into tangible realities by providing instruction on the essential steps required for prototyping and manufacturing your collection.
In addition to acquiring the skills to design bags and accessories accurately and understanding what information to convey to a prototype maker, this course will guide you through the process of constructing three-dimensional mock-ups for your designs.
Unlike courses that solely focus on creating aesthetically pleasing drawings, this programme emphasizes providing a comprehensive understanding of the intricate and extensive processes involved in designing a collection of handbags. It aims to equip you with the insights necessary to navigate the complexities, ensuring you are well-prepared before and during the design phase. By doing so, the course aims to save you time, expense, and potential frustration when it comes to prototyping and manufacturing your collection.
This course is crafted to assist both emerging and struggling designers in developing and articulating their ideas effectively for the prototyping phase. It addresses the needs and challenges faced by our customers, aiming to support and streamline the creative process for project realisation.
Note: As this is the first time we organise this class in this 2-week format, we might need to readjust some aspects of its structure to ensure it runs at its best. Therefore, we are providing our customers with a discount on the tuition. The class might, for example, end up being a little shorter or longer, and certain topics may be focused on more or less than initially anticipated.
Here's what you'll learn during the classes:
  • Understanding the role of a bag designer
  • Before designing: understanding and analysing crucial external aspects that will influence your business success
  • About your business idea and profile: understanding the target audience, market placement, pricing strategy, and more.
  • Understanding what a moodboard is and how to use it
  • Understanding the differences and purposes of illustrations vs technical drawings
  • Understanding the importance of construction and its impact on your design
  • Overview of the anatomy of a handbag, lining, and reinforcements
  • Understanding the structure of a collection: the use of a collection plan
  • Learning how to plan a balanced collection of fashion accessories
  • Understanding finishing options for your designs
  • Understanding hardware and its impact on the cost price of your collection
  • Overview of leather and vegan leather
  • Identifying the right materials for your collection
  • Learning how to draw three-dimensional bags
  • Sketching technical drawings
  • Going through the product development of three designs
  • Developing patterns and realising 1 three-dimensional mock-up of your collection
  • Providing technical information about your collection to the prototype maker
  • Understanding the prototyping process
  • Manufacturing your collection: how it works and what the options are
What you'll get
You will also receive access to a collection of handouts providing relevant information, useful resources, and support in continuing your designing process independently.
The handouts will contain:
  • A glossary containing essential keywords related to the topic of the lesson
  • An illustrated glossary containing information about types of bags and bags' features
  • An illustrated guide on common hardware used in bags and accessories
  • Documents about leather types, finishings, and tanning processes
  • Information about perspective and guides to be used as a reference to develop your drawings
  • A list of recommended suppliers for both leather and fittings (physically in London and online)
  • A glossary containing information about leather types and characteristics
Knowledge required
Complete beginners, beginners with some experience of drawing and/or designing, and intermediate designers.
What to bring
Materials and tools provided
Session repeats

This class series runs over 5 consecutive days.

Suitable for

This class is great for individuals and couples as well as for a date idea, birthday or hen do.

This experience would also be a creative gift for her, gift for mum, Father's Day gift or gift for couples.

Location

Studio 002-003 Harrington Way, SE185NR London

One Week Accessory Design Course location
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Your teacher

Melissa Bruscoli
Melissa Bruscoli

5.0 (13)
Instagram followers 3k followers
female Women-owned

We founded The London Leather Workshop in 2012, bringing together our backgrounds in fashion, accessories and leather goods as Italian design graduates. Over the years, our passion for making grew into a South East London studio where design, prototyping, product development and craftsmanship come together. Sara leads the teaching, drawing on specialist training in fashion and bag making in Rome, Milan and Florence, while Melissa brings deep experience in sourcing, materials and studio operations.
What we love most about teaching is helping people discover that leathercraft is something they can genuinely learn and enjoy with the right guidance. Our workshops are taught in small groups in a real working studio, so students receive individual attention, learn professional techniques and leave with a finished piece they can feel proud of.
Over the past ten years, we have taught students from around the world and shared our knowledge through workshops, one-to-one training and wider community work. We love creating a space that feels welcoming, practical and inspiring, whether someone joins as a complete beginner, a curious maker or an aspiring professional.

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class 1E57MXLBSX b30fa37a8c654059964d2a78c24cea95 production london London London GB london