When One Idea Naturally Leads to Another
The ICON Bag was the first design that changed the direction of my work, but it didn’t remain the only one for long. Sometimes, after finishing a design, you feel that the story is complete. Other times, one idea naturally leads to another. That was exactly what happened with the Urban Bag.
Although it shares the same creative philosophy as the ICON Bag, it was never intended to be a copy or a second version. It became its own design, with its own identity and a different way of being worn.
Looking Back at Fashion Design
Before I focused on leather bags, I spent many years designing women’s clothing. One detail appeared again and again in my collections. Open backs.
I always loved the elegance they created. There was something beautiful about revealing just enough while keeping the overall silhouette clean and sophisticated. That detail stayed with me long after I moved from clothing to leather accessories. Without even realizing it, it found its way into the Urban Bag.
A Different Interpretation of the Same Concept
While the ICON Bag was built around two separate openings that allowed the bag to be worn on the body, the Urban Bag simplified that idea.Instead of two openings, I designed one large opening that naturally follows the back and shoulder. That single design decision completely changed the feeling of the bag. It became softer. More fluid. More comfortable to wear.
From the front, the structured upper part almost resembles a beautifully tailored garment rather than a handbag. From the back, however, its multifunctional concept becomes visible, revealing the true identity of the design. That balance between fashion and functionality is what makes the Urban Bag unique.
Where the Sketch Was Created
I still remember exactly where I was when the first sketches were made. At the time, my family owned a retail business, and we all worked together. I had my own small office there, and during one of those ordinary working days, I found myself thinking about how the concept of the first bag could continue to evolve. I took a piece of paper and started sketching. The process happened surprisingly quickly because the foundation already existed.
I wasn’t searching for a completely new concept. I was searching for another way to wear it. Sometimes the smallest change opens the door to an entirely new design. That single opening became the beginning of the Urban Bag.
Presented in New York
Like the ICON Bag, the Urban Bag was also presented during Art Hearts Fashion as part of New York Fashion Week. Sharing both designs in New York was an important moment because they represented two different interpretations of the same design philosophy. Both bags were original. Both were multifunctional. But each offered a completely different experience once worn.
Watching people discover those differences became one of my favorite parts of presenting the collection.
Every Design Continues to Evolve
The first versions of both the ICON Bag and the Urban Bag were made with genuine leather on the exterior and a classic textile lining inside. Several years later, in 2020, both designs were revisited and refined.
The interior was upgraded to premium leather, making the bags even more durable while bringing the inside to the same level of craftsmanship as the exterior. That evolution reflected the way I continue to approach every design. I don’t believe a good idea has to remain exactly the same forever.
Sometimes small improvements make a design even closer to the original vision.
Looking Back
When I look at the Urban Bag today, I don’t see it as the design that came after the ICON Bag. I see it as proof that one idea can continue to grow without losing its identity. Every collection teaches me something new. Every design answers one question while opening another. The Urban Bag reminded me that creativity doesn’t always begin with something completely different.
Sometimes it begins by looking at the same idea from another perspective.
Marina Micanovic, owner of UniUkiyo
