After years of struggling to find the right bag, this Australian startup let me design my perfect one
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As part of an ongoing series, Insider Picks features products or stores poised for big things. The subject of this spotlight is an Australian startup that lets women design their own handbags from over six billion combinations called Mon Purse.
It doesn't get much cooler than designing your own handbag. Just ask Mon Purse founder Lana Hopkins who turned a fruitless search for the perfect bag into a multi-million dollar business in just a couple years.
"I realized I spent far too many hours pounding the pavement, looking for the perfect bag," Hopkins told Business Insider. "I wanted to solve this personal problem and I had a vision — to create an elegant, state-of-the-art bag builder, and then follow it up with high-quality bespoke creations delivered to directly to customer's doors. So I traveled the world in 2014 looking for the best tanneries and ateliers, hand-selecting quality leathers and raw materials, and employing skilled craftsmen. I also found some great software engineers to turn my vision into reality."
Using Mon Purse's state-of-the-art, 3D design tool that has more than six billion combinations, anyone can now create the leather handbag of their dreams. You're able to fully customize it — the leathers, colors, finishes, hardware, interior, and monogram — and immediately see what the final product will look like through a 3D rendering.
The company let me try its proprietary 3D design tool for the purposes of this review, and I don't think I've ever had more fun reviewing a product. I had so many options before me, and I didn't know where to start. I checked out Mon Purse's Instagram feed for inspiration. I tried the tool on all of the different bag styles you're able to customize and, finally, after much thought, decided to create my own bowler bag. I wanted this bag to be one I could use every day for work — it's business out the outside with a grainy black leather exterior, and party on the inside with a fuchsia suede lining.
Have a look at the entire design process from start to checkout, or begin designing your own Mon Purse bag here.
The base prices of Mon Purse's "design your own" collection are as follows: Bowler Bag ($380 for mini or $480 for classic), Bucket Bag ($380), Clutch ($230), Pouch ($65 for small or $75 for large), Shopper Bag ($330 for mini or $430 for classic), and Tote Bag ($480).
I chose to design a Bowler Bag. You can also choose to design your own Bucket Bag, Clutch, Pouch, Shopper Bag, or Tote Bag.
Mon Purse
You can select what size Bowler Bag you want to create: mini ($380 base price) or classic ($480 base price). I went with the classic size so I could use it for work.
I'm not a big fan of fringe, but those who are can add fringing to their Bowler Bag at no extra cost.
Mon Purse
Next, you pick out what type(s) of leather or suede Mon Purse will use to create your bag as well as what color(s) leather or suede you want. There are so many options!
Mon Purse
I debated between grainy stone leather or grainy black leather for a while, but I ultimately went with grainy black leather for the whole Bowler Bag. I kept my design pretty simple since I planned to use the bag for work, but you can choose multiple leathers and colors for something totally unique. There are even a few fun prints you can select.
Two leathers are complimentary, but additional leathers cost $29 each and vegetable-tanned leather is an additional $69.
You can design your own Mon Purse bag here.
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