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THE FABRIKK - VELA - LED HANDBAG COLLECTION #001

The FABRIKK VELA LED Handbag launches in three colour ways; Natural Bark, Coal Black and limited edition Metallic Green Python mock croc. Made from sustainable and cruelty free cork 'leathers'; the VELA also debuts the latest tech in LED illuminating smart materials inside to help you find things at night. Ethically sourced and made to last with love in Britain. Coal Black SHOP THE COLLECTION ...

FABRIKK in Italy – Meeting Our Suppliers

The possibilities in applications of new illuminating fiber optic materials really excited me and especially applying these materials to the inside of bags. The new materials that Fabrikk has been working with come from a company in Italy who specialise in making high-end and bespoke materials for clients, mainly in the Yachting industry. In the first instance, we communicated with them on the phone and via e-mail when we were at the prototyping stage. The communication was tricky as my Italian is terrible and their English wasn’t any better. Then, suddenly the whole company seemed to disappear from the World Wide Web completely? And you can imagine the panic I was suddenly struck by then! Had the company gone bust???...

The Fabrikk VELA LED Handbag - Our UK Manufacturing

The Vela handbag is produced here in the UK, we work closely with our manufacturing partners in Wales to ensure high quality and full transparency along our supply chain. We are passionate about working with and supporting local manufacturers and engineers in developing the electrical system and the handbags. It was also important for us to be able to easily communicate face to face in the development of the first samples. Looking back without this close communication it would have made explaining the new technology and ironing out issues a lot more difficult. I have always found face to face communication the most efficient and pleasurable way to work. From this, I have built a solid, professional and friendly relationship...

The LED Handbag Project - From Concept to Prototype

I first considered using LED materials to line a bag whilst I was researching new materials and studying product design in Liverpool in 2011. A few years later, the idea was still firmly in my mind – and I did a Masters in Product Design specifically to research the potential of using these illuminating materials, and how they could be incorporated into handbag designs. This study also helped me gain a better understanding of the handbag industry, and the processes involved in material and product manufacturing. With a strong focus on new materials, I was interested in finding a better alternative for the exterior of my bags – as opposed to the environmentally destructive – and cruel – option of...

Why Fabrikk? - The Inspiration

One of the most fascinating aspects of product design is the application of new material science. Learning where exciting new textiles come from, how they’re processed, who makes them and their what their potential impact is, both for us and the environment, has always been of particular interest to me. Prior to launching Fabrikk, I’d also become interested in how we interact with materials and products on a day-to-day basis, and I used this curiosity and information as one of my inspirations in new product development. New materials have the potential to dramatically improve the functionality and impact of Fabrikk products, and revolutionise our production techniques. My aim is to explore the potential of new materials and use them to create...

Meet the Founder

Hello! My name is Kate Pearson, and I’m a product designer from Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. I guess my design career began in childhood, with fierce competition over LEGO blocks with my older brother Miles (pictured top-right, just to embarrass him). He would seriously engineer the bricks into perfect constructions, and I would argue my ad-hoc designs were far better. He ended up as an architect, running his own business in Liverpool and I ended up going into product design! Maths and English were not my strong points at school. Art, design, music and sports were far more up my street. My wandering father, Andy aka ‘Egon’ (as in where’s he gone?), sent us to a Quaker school in...

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