Alright, so I decided to remake the PRADA Arqué Re-Nylon and Brushed Leather Shoulder Bag. Yeah, the whole thing, from start to finish. It was a bit of a project, but I got it done.
First off, I started to gather all the materials. This was a bit of a scavenger hunt, to be honest. I needed that specific Re-Nylon fabric, and let me tell you, it wasn’t easy to find something that felt just right. After hitting up a few fabric stores and a bunch of online shops, I finally found what I was looking for. It had the same texture and sheen as the original. Also, I needed to find the right leather. I wanted something that had that brushed look, not too shiny, but with a bit of a rugged feel, you know? After a lot of searching, I got my hands on some leather that was a pretty good match.
Next, I started working on the pattern. I didn’t have the original bag’s pattern, so I had to get a bit creative. I took some measurements from pictures online, and studied the bag. I sketched out a rough design and then made a few mock-ups with some cheaper fabric I had lying around. It took a few tries to get it right, adjusting here and there until the shape and size felt right.
- Cutting the Re-Nylon was nerve-wracking. That stuff is not cheap, and I didn’t want to mess it up. Slow and steady was the key. I used a rotary cutter and a ruler to make sure all my lines were straight.
- The leather was easier to work with, thankfully. I cut it to the shapes I needed for the sides and the strap. That was just easy work.
- Then came the sewing. This is where things got real. I started with the Re-Nylon, stitching the main body of the bag together. My sewing machine was a champ, although I did break a needle or two in the process.
- Attaching the leather pieces was a bit more challenging. I had to make sure everything was lined up perfectly, otherwise, the whole bag would look wonky. There were moments where I had to rip out some stitches and start over, but hey, that’s part of the process.
The hardest part was probably the strap. Getting it to sit just right and making sure it was sturdy enough took some time. I reinforced it with some extra stitching, just to be safe. You don’t want the strap breaking when you’re out and about.
Finally, I added the hardware. I found some buckles and clasps online that looked similar to the original. They weren’t exact replicas, but they did the job. Attaching them was a bit fiddly, but I managed to get them on securely.
After all that work, I finally had my finished bag. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn close to the original. The Re-Nylon looked great, the leather felt good, and the whole thing felt solid and well-made. I was pretty proud of myself, not gonna lie.
Result
It was a lot of work, but totally worth it. I learned a lot along the way, and now I have a bag that’s almost as good as the real deal, but for a fraction of the price. Plus, I made it myself, which is pretty cool if you ask me. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, I say go for it. Just be prepared to put in the time and effort. You might surprise yourself with what you can create!
Click to consult