Alright, let’s talk about this mouawad purse thing. So, I saw this picture online of a crazy expensive purse, a Mouawad, and I thought, “Hey, why not try to kinda…recreate it? Not the diamonds, obviously, but the general shape and feel.”
First things first, planning! I spent a good hour just staring at the pictures, trying to figure out the construction. It looked like a structured bag, so I knew I needed some stiff interfacing. I grabbed some old cardboard boxes to make a template, something I could build around. This was super janky, but hey, it worked!
Next up, materials. I wasn’t gonna spend a fortune on fancy fabrics, so I raided my stash. I found some faux leather scraps – a dark, almost black color – that I thought would give it a similar vibe to the original. Found some satin lining too, in a deep red. Gotta have that little pop of luxury on the inside, you know?
Then, the cutting and sewing began. I used the cardboard templates to cut out the faux leather pieces. This was a pain, let me tell you. My sewing machine HATED the faux leather. It kept sticking and skipping stitches. I had to slow down a ton and use a Teflon foot. Tip: if you’re working with faux leather, get a Teflon foot. Your life will be so much easier!
I sewed the main body pieces together, following the basic shape I’d mocked up with the cardboard. I messed up a few times, had to rip seams (ugh!), but eventually, it started to look like something. It was rough, definitely not perfect, but it was taking shape.
The lining was next. This was a bit easier since the satin was much more forgiving. I sewed the lining pieces together, leaving a small opening at the bottom for turning the bag right-side out later. Then, I carefully attached the lining to the faux leather shell, making sure everything lined up (as much as possible, anyway).
Handles! The original had these fancy, sculpted handles. I wasn’t about to try sculpting anything, so I opted for a simple chain handle. I found some chain at a craft store and attached it with some D-rings. It wasn’t the same, but it worked.
Closing time. I added a magnetic snap closure to keep the bag closed. Simple and effective.
Finally, the big reveal! I turned the bag right-side out through the opening in the lining and stitched the opening closed. And…voila! It was done. My own (very) humble version of a Mouawad purse.
It’s definitely not going to fool anyone into thinking it’s the real deal. But it was a fun project, and I learned a lot about bag construction. Plus, now I have a unique (if slightly wonky) purse to show off. Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I’m investing in some better tools and maybe a bit more patience!
- Cardboard templates are your friend.
- Teflon foot for faux leather. Trust me.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s all part of the process.
