From Ideal to Real - Part 3: I Made a Bag!

Part of me wanted to stop everyone on the street and show them my bag and ask their thoughts. But I settled for awkwardly showing my first prototype during a work happy hour to anyone who would listen. I was thrilled to hear the positive responses, but these were mostly people who worked for me. They had to be nice.

Though nice didn't mean totally dishonest. I got some good feedback and started iterating on the design. Each person I showed it to sparked more and more ideas. I redid it and redid it again.

I made a tote and soon realized that the tote with a laptop bag specifically designed to be inserted could solve yet another problem I have with bags: going through airport security with a laptop, purse, and overhead bag left me with one too many bags. I always had to jam my laptop case into my purse, then had to fumble for it to take it out for security, and then shove it all back in to board.

So I put together a design to solve for that, too. And the Dinah Tote and the Beryl Laptop Sleeve Bag (working titles) were born.