What Do You Think Of My First Two Leather Bags?

[IntrepidStephen]

Hey guys, my wife and I designed two leather travel bags that we are launching on Kickstarter, and I need your opinions! Please be honest.

I wanted to design a bag that was rugged and manly, but wasn't ridiculously heavy and uncomfortable. The Journeyman is the result of that. And the Lillium was for my wife who wanted a hands-free and sexy way to carry her stuff around town.

Here's the link to the Kickstarter campaign with more details: http://kck.st/1dO4LVI (what do you think of the video?)

The Journeyman is a minimalist messenger bag that fits a full sized iPad, Macbook, and iPhone, with room for their chargers too, and more. It features an innovative suspended laptop/iPad pocket that keeps the bag from "bricking" when you put the Macbook in. Instead, the bag forms to your body and stays comfortable even when full. Plus... I think it looks pretty manly...

Journeyman Features:

• Cross-body messenger design
  
• Rugged full-grain fully vegetable tanned boot leather
  
• Marine grade nylon stitching (used in parachute construction)
  
• Solid steel hardware
  
• Herringbone lining
  
• Suspended floating laptop pocket
  
• Leather iPad pocket
  
• Leather iPhone pocket
  
• Covered pocket for chargers
  
• 3 quick access document pockets
  
• 3 Pen / Stylus holders
  
• Lifetime Guarantee
  

The Lillium fits an iPad Mini and iPhone with room for other essentials you'd need for a day in the city. It has a slim design and can be worn 3 different ways that contours to your body and leaves your hands free. A hidden zippered passport pocket on the back is perfect for keeping your cash and valuables close and hidden.

Lillium Features:

• Slim design can be worn on hips, shoulders, or cross-body
  
• Extra-thick top grain purse leather
  
• Marine grade nylon stitching (used in parachute construction)
  
• Solid steel hardware
  
• Magnetic closure
  
• Micro-suede iPad Mini pocket
  
• Zippered iPhone pocket
  
• Hidden passport pocket
  
• 3 Credit card slots
  
• 3 pen / stylus holders
  
• Lifetime Guarantee
  

A ton of work went into these bags, we even took them to the Himalayas in Nepal to field-test them. I'd love to hear you guys' thoughts and comments. I need input!

[The Dawg Club]

They all look great to me!! I just attempted to make a bag for my daughter.

[Andrew Chee]

The interior details are pretty nice. The pricing is about right (I was thinking about $300 for the big bag when I saw it). Is this going to be manufactured in the US or overseas? At the price point that you are selling at (plus the fact that the hides are probably not domestically tanned) you can't really go against the higher end craft market. With that said, $300 or so is not a bad price.

One thing looking at the big bag, are the edges skived on the turned gusset? The way the pics look with the edges folded in it looks like it might not be skived. If it's not, you might look into that since it will let the gusset sit much more nicely. The back gusset looks like you have the fabric lining stitched right into the gusset? It's kinda hard to tell from the pics. But if that's the case, you might want to use a leather binding or something because the exposed fabric will fray over time and it just doesn't look very finished considering the rest of your bag looks like it has turned edges. What leather are you using exactly for this bag? The pics make it look almost like a buffed grain latigo or something like that. Not bad looking and about what you would expect on a $300 bag.

As for the women's bag, it's a nice design. What kind of leather are you using?

Andrew

[IntrepidStephen]

@Andrew- The hides are domestically sourced USA cow hides, we are working with a high end leather group out of Leon for production. The leather is a full-grain pull up latigo leather concept we developed. (good call!) Similar to the leather used on Saddleback bags, but a bit softer since we didn't like how heavy and rigid Saddleback's leathers were out of the box.

We didn't skiv the leather on the turned gusset, that's a great suggestion! The back gusset does have the fabric stitched into it, so again thanks for the tip! We had the exposed edge on the back to make it more sturdy since it's worn cross body, often with a lot of heavy objects in it.

The Lillium woman's bag has a thicker top grain leather. More supple and purse-like.

Thanks for the suggestions! Keep em coming guys, it's hugely appreciated!

[RoyalLeatherDesigns]

I think they are awesome I know I would buy me and my girl one. They look great but like another member said or at least I think he said, use a skiving machine because in some places the binding looks really thick. See I am no expert and I caught that so if I see that I am sue your buyers will. I hope this helps I only criticized your work because you asked so don't get mad at me..jk seriously they look great you have taken great pics. Best of luck...GOD BLESS!

Ralph

[Blak Smyth]

I think the first bag looks great, very clean and contemporary.

The second bag seems a little more eclectic, moslty in the strap shape.

I think both appear well made, nice work.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Blak Smyth

[IntrepidStephen]

I think they are awesome I know I would buy me and my girl one. They look great but like another member said or at least I think he said, use a skiving machine because in some places the binding looks really thick. See I am no expert and I caught that so if I see that I am sue your buyers will. I hope this helps I only criticized your work because you asked so don't get mad at me..jk seriously they look great you have taken great pics. Best of luck...GOD BLESS!

Ralph

Ralph thanks very much for the observations! I will be looking into skiving that gusset. Right now, there are two different pockets and their lining stitched into that particular gusset, making it pop quite a bit. I suspect we will have to eliminate one of the pockets to fully fix the issue.

I think the first bag looks great, very clean and contemporary.

The second bag seems a little more eclectic, moslty in the strap shape.

I think both appear well made, nice work.

Thanks Blak! The Lillium is modeled after the hip purses we saw all over the place last time I was in Spain. They looked incredibly stylish and convenient on the ladies in Barcelona, we wanted to bring some of that style to the US. :D

[FISTfullaLEATHER]

Congrats on a successful kickstarter! How have things changed since? Any advice for someone who wants to start one? Any future kickstarters?

[IntrepidStephen]

Congrats on a successful kickstarter! How have things changed since? Any advice for someone who wants to start one? Any future kickstarters?

Thanks! We are so excited that it went so well. We were almost 200% funded! Thank goodness for that too, because every penny of the kickstarter (and then some) has gone into buying the minimums on the leathers we need and into production costs.

We have launched our website for the leather bags at www.intrepidbags.com and are taking preorders now too for the second run of bags once we get the first all finished.

Best advice I have is to build up your community before you launch and get as many excited first, then when you launch mobilize your community of fans to move all at once. This will help boost you up on Kickstarter, and hopefully get you noticed by other members of the site. Also don't skimp on the video and the photos. The better they are, the better your campaign will do (assuming your product is good too).

We will probably be doing future kickstarters for our new bags. We don't have the funds to launch new lines on our own, and even though you make almost no profit with Kickstarter, it's a great way to see if your designs are as good as you hope. If the Kickstarter fails, at least you don't end up with thousands of dollars of unsellable bags on your hands.

[dirtclod]

I understand you want to sell your product. But I'm curious a couple of times you said they worked real out of the country. What is the difference in going to another state or a different part of the state you live in except for the fact you were able to to go to another country. The way i read your Kickstarter having them if your going to another is better than having something else. I understand you want to sell your product.

[FISTfullaLEATHER]

I understand you want to sell your product. But I'm curious a couple of times you said they worked real out of the country. What is the difference in going to another state or a different part of the state you live in except for the fact you were able to to go to another country. The way i read your Kickstarter having them if your going to another is better than having something else. I understand you want to sell your product.

I think it's because it was inspired by items they saw while traveling. I'd have to agree, you don't see those type of bags much in usual parts of America.

Thanks! We are so excited that it went so well. We were almost 200% funded! Thank goodness for that too, because every penny of the kickstarter (and then some) has gone into buying the minimums on the leathers we need and into production costs.

We have launched our website for the leather bags at www.intrepidbags.com and are taking preorders now too for the second run of bags once we get the first all finished.

Best advice I have is to build up your community before you launch and get as many excited first, then when you launch mobilize your community of fans to move all at once. This will help boost you up on Kickstarter, and hopefully get you noticed by other members of the site. Also don't skimp on the video and the photos. The better they are, the better your campaign will do (assuming your product is good too).

We will probably be doing future kickstarters for our new bags. We don't have the funds to launch new lines on our own, and even though you make almost no profit with Kickstarter, it's a great way to see if your designs are as good as you hope. If the Kickstarter fails, at least you don't end up with thousands of dollars of unsellable bags on your hands.

Very cool. I can't wait to see the new line. I'll be following you in anticipation. And thank you for the advice. I'd really like to do something small to fund a sewing machine and a few other tools. I've been approached quite a bit to make large quantities of items and I just can't do it and give myself and the buyer a fair price with the time it takes to hand sew.