Leather Design — Huzaima

Overview

Objects as Extensions

This collection began as an exercise in pattern drafting and hand construction, and grew into a study of how leather accessories extend the body and its daily rituals — holding identity, carrying necessities, and, in the final piece, opening up to reveal the tools of a creative practice. Each project builds on the one before it: the cutting and stitching skills learned on a simple cardholder wallet carried through into a refined crossbody saddle bag, and finally into an experimental form built around movement, structure and storage.

Wide studio display of the leather collection with concept board

The Collection · Studio Presentation

Project 01 · Foundations

The Basic Wallet

The starting point for this collection was a compact bifold cardholder wallet — a foundation project in pattern drafting, leather cutting and hand-stitching. Stencils were drawn out on graph paper and refined before being transferred onto vegetable-tanned leather, cut by hand, and stitched along every edge using a traditional saddle stitch. The finished wallet carries a personal monogram, “HA”, stamped into its interior card panel.

Hand-drawn wallet pattern stencils on graph paper

Pattern Stencils · Graph Paper

Refined wallet pattern pieces on graph paper

Stencil Refinement · Card Slots

Vegetable-tanned leather panels cut on a cutting mat

Cutting the Leather Panels

Cut Pieces · Ready for Stitching

Hand-stitched bifold leather wallet, open

Bifold Wallet · Open

Detail of hand-stitched fold on leather wallet

Hand-Stitched Fold Detail

Open wallet with HA monogram stamped on interior panel

Monogram Detail · “HA”

Finished Wallet · Interior

Project 02 · Refinement

The Crossbody Saddle Bag

Building on the construction techniques developed for the wallet, the second project scaled up to a fully-functional crossbody saddle bag, planned around a 142 sq. inch pattern with a curved flap closure and an adjustable shoulder strap secured with a brass ring. The leather was finished in a rich mahogany dye and hand-stitched with contrasting white and maroon thread along the flap edge.

Crossbody Saddle Bag · Profile

Crossbody saddle bag, front view on white background

Mahogany Dye · Front View

Flap & Strap Detail

Saddle Bag · Studio Display

Project 03 · Experimental Design

Flower-Form Bucket Bag

The final and most experimental piece in this collection is inspired by the natural movement of a flower as it opens and closes. Its structured octagonal form gently unfolds into soft, petal-like panels that reveal the interior, then closes back into a compact shape when secured — capturing a sense of organic transformation.

Pattern & Prototype

The form began as a digital pattern of interlocking octagonal panels and petal-shaped sides, then tested at scale through paper and leather mock-ups before any final pieces were cut.

Digital pattern diagram of octagonal bucket bag panels

Digital Pattern · Octagonal Panels

Paper prototype of petal-shaped bag panels

Paper Prototype · Petal Form

Leather mock-up of stitched petal panels

Leather Mock-Up · Stitched Panels

Construction

Eight petal-shaped panels were hand-stitched around an octagonal base and lid, held in place with binder clips during assembly and reinforced with leather lacing and straps at the rim.

Leather petal panels pinned together during assembly

Assembly · Pinning the Petals

Interior view of bucket bag during construction

Interior Construction Detail

Top view of bucket bag with straps in progress

Top View · Straps in Progress

Outcome

Finished in a deep chocolate brown dye with contrasting white stitching, the bucket bag opens to reveal six individual interior pockets — designed to hold the tools, threads and notions of a maker's everyday creative practice.

Open lid of bucket bag showing six interior pockets

Open Lid · Six Interior Pockets

Interior pocket holding tools and thread

Pocket Detail · Tools & Thread

Pocket Detail · Notions Storage

Interior pocket holding yarn and embroidery hoop

Pocket Detail · Yarn & Embroidery

Exhibition

Display & Presentation

The completed collection — wallet, saddle bag and bucket bag — was presented together at the degree show, displayed on plinths alongside the original concept boards and pattern diagrams.