Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on one of those fancy Yves Saint Laurent YSL College bags for a while now. You know, the ones that look super classy and go with pretty much everything? But, man, those things are expensive! I mean, I like nice things, but I also like, you know, paying my rent. So, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? It seemed like a fun challenge, and if I did it right, I’d have a bag that looks just as good for way less money.
First things first, I spent a good chunk of time just staring at pictures of the YSL College bag online. I wanted to really get a feel for it, you know? The size, the shape, the way the leather looked, all that stuff. I even went to a store that sold them just to get a closer look and try to memorize every little detail. I looked like a real weirdo, I must say, just sniffing at that bag.
After that, I started looking for materials. Finding the right kind of leather was a real pain. I wanted something that felt soft but was also strong enough to hold its shape. I ended up going to this small leather shop downtown that had a bunch of different options. The guy there was super helpful and after chatting and trying a lot I found a really nice black leather that I thought would work great. It wasn’t cheap, but it was still way less than what a real YSL bag would cost.
Next up was the hardware. The YSL College bag has this really distinctive metal logo and chain, and I wanted to get that right. I searched online for some metal parts that looked similar. It took some time, but I finally found some good matches. They weren’t perfect, but they were pretty darn close and would do the trick.
Once I had all the materials, it was time to start putting everything together. This was the hardest part, honestly. I’m not a professional or anything, so it was a lot of trial and error. I used a simple template of the real bag, and I tried to copy its shape. I cut the leather very, very, carefully according to the pattern I had drawn. I had to redo a couple of pieces because I messed them up, but I finally got all the parts cut out. Also, I decided to add a little pocket inside because why not.
- Sewing the pieces together was tricky.
- I used my grandma’s old sewing machine.
- It took a lot of patience and some, well, let’s just say I cursed a few times, but I managed to get it all sewn together.
- The lining was another challenge.
- I used a simple black fabric, and honestly, sewing the lining in neatly was probably the hardest part of the whole project.
After the bag was all sewn, it was time to attach the hardware. I punched holes in the leather for the chain and carefully attached the metal logo. I used some strong glue to make sure everything was secure. That was not easy, but I think I did it well at the end.
The final step was to just check everything over and make sure it all looked good. I added a few finishing touches, like conditioning the leather to give it a nice sheen and making sure all the stitches were tight.
The Result
And, you know what? It actually turned out pretty great! I mean, it’s not exactly like the real thing, but it’s really close. It looks and feels like a high-quality bag, and I’m really proud of how it turned out. Plus, I saved a ton of money by making it myself. So, I think it is a better option, you can save at least 20% or more. I saw that Saint Laurent bags are cheaper in Europe, but I live very far away and a fly ticket is not precisely cheap. So I guess this is the best option.
I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and it’s holding up great. It fits all my stuff – phone, wallet, keys, even a small notebook. And I’ve gotten a bunch of compliments on it, which is always nice. The brand started as YSL but then it became Saint Laurent Paris. It doesn’t really matter, people still like it.
So, yeah, that’s my little adventure in bag making. It was a lot of work, but it was definitely worth it. If you’re thinking about trying something like this, I say go for it! Just be prepared to be patient and to maybe mess up a few times. But in the end, you might just end up with something you’re really proud of and the best part: you will save a lot of money.
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