Ever since I was young, I have always enjoyed creating unique things with my own hands. I grew up listening to stories about my grandmother, a great seamstress in her hometown, who made clothes and even wedding dresses and was greatly admired for her work. This connection to sewing always fascinated me and made me feel connected to my grandmother, as if, in a way, I was continuing what she had started. Over time, I began to explore this world, initially out of curiosity and then out of passion.
The opportunity to learn how to use a sewing machine came about through a work experience, and from then on I never stopped. With the knowledge I acquired through self-teaching, I started creating small pieces and even clothes. My love of low-cost travel and the need to pack a backpack with only the essentials led me to want to make my own bags, something functional but at the same time beautiful and unique. From this need, new formats and ideas emerged, namely bags to protect my laptop and tablet.
Foi assim que nasceu a Carrie Handmade, um projeto que junta a minha paixão pela costura e pelo artesanato ao mundo digital, permitindo que outras pessoas possam ter uma peça personalizada e única.
Before launching Carrie Handmade, I drew inspiration from the world of craftsmanship, where quality, authenticity, and attention to detail are essential elements. What captivated me most was the appreciation for manual labor and the possibility of personalization, something I wanted to bring to my project, ensuring that each piece had a unique and special touch.
The name Carrie Handmade came from one of my favorite characters, Carrie Bradshaw, from the series Sex and the City. I love the New York vibe, the taste for fashion, and the passion for exclusive pieces. Since each bag I create is handmade and fully customizable, it made sense to combine the name Carrie with the term Handmade, reinforcing the idea of a special and unique product.
The brand's visual identity reflects this same exclusivity, with a light, feminine, and modern image. The logo and colors were carefully chosen to convey a handmade yet sophisticated style. Soft and delicate tones were selected to reinforce the feeling of lightness and harmony, contrasting with a more sober color for the text, ensuring balance and legibility.
Carrie Handmade products are designed to meet everyday organizational and transportation needs while maintaining an attractive and unique design. The current collection includes toiletry bags in various sizes, laptop and tablet bags, card holders, key rings with space for small objects, and cases. In addition, each piece can be customized to suit individual tastes, making it unique and special. In the future, I plan to expand the collection with new products, always maintaining the attention to detail and exclusivity that characterize the brand.
One of the most exciting parts of this project is the customization. Each customer can choose the fabrics, patterns, and colors of the fasteners. I myself am passionate about the material selection process: I love visiting fabric stores, exploring patterns, and thinking about combinations that make each piece special. I have a fondness for fabrics with fruits and flowers, gingham patterns in various colors, and details such as bows, which add a feminine and delicate touch.
As each bag is handmade, there may be slight variations in measurements, making each piece truly unique.
To demonstrate the customization options and facilitate product visualization, I created graphic images in Adobe Illustrator, where I illustrated the different models and formats.
Developing the online store was one of the biggest challenges of the project. I chose an intuitive and accessible platform, ensuring that the user experience was fluid and functional. I structured the website in an organized way, with attractive images and detailed information about each product.
The Carrie Handmade brand is on Instagram (@carrie.handmade) (@carrie.handmade), where I intend to share the creative process, behind-the-scenes production, and inspiration for the products.
In the future, I plan to expand to other platforms and explore new ways of interacting with customers.
