Okay, so I’ve been wanting to remake a classic bag for a while, and I finally decided to tackle the Prada Galleria Saffiano Leather Bag. I mean, this bag is such a style icon and I thought it would be a nice challenge for me.
First, I started by looking at a bunch of pictures of the bag online and I studied how it was built. The Medium Galleria is known for being roomy. I saw some people even fit a small laptop in there! I even watched videos about it to fully know how it was made, just so I could get a better idea of how to put it all together.
Then, I went out and got the materials. Now, I learned that the real Prada Galleria is made with Saffiano leather, which is this special kind of genuine leather that’s been treated and embossed. I found some pretty similar-looking leather at my local store and it was not cheap. I also picked up some sturdy lining fabric, some metal hardware, like the buckles and the zipper, and some strong thread.
Once I had everything, I started by making a pattern. I basically drew out all the different pieces of the bag on some paper, based on the pictures and the original design of the Galleria. Then I used that pattern to cut out my leather. Cutting the leather was a bit scary, to be honest, I didn’t want to mess it up. I used a rotary cutter which worked quite well.
Next came the sewing. I started by sewing the lining together. I even added a few pockets inside because, why not? After that, I started on the leather. This was the hard part. I sewed the front and back panels to the side pieces, then added the bottom. I had to go really slow, making sure all the edges matched up.
Once the main body of the bag was done, I made the handles. I cut out long strips of leather, folded them over, and sewed them together. Then I attached them to the bag with some metal rings. It was tricky getting them to sit right, but I think I managed.
Finally, I added the zipper and the little Prada logo. I found a replica logo online and glued it on. I know, it’s not the same as the real thing, but I think it looks pretty good.
All in all, it took me about a week to finish the bag, working on it a few hours each day. It wasn’t easy, but I’m really proud of how it turned out! It looks a lot like the real Prada Galleria, and it’s super sturdy. I’ve been using it for a few days now, and it’s holding up great. I even managed to fit my tablet and a notebook in there, just like the real one.
- Saffiano leather is tough to work with! It’s really thick and doesn’t bend easily.
- Sewing takes a lot of patience. Especially when you’re working with leather.
- Making a bag from scratch is really rewarding. I feel so accomplished every time I look at it.
Things I learned:
So yeah, that’s my Prada Galleria remake story. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot. Maybe I’ll try making another designer bag in the future. We’ll see!
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