Famous for helping design the jewelry (including Queen Ramonda’s headgear) from the hit film Black Panther, award-winning Australian designer Julia Koerner relies on a combination of nature and computer algorithms to bring her creations to life. Her handbags, available on her website, follow a similar design route, with an aesthetic so out-of-this-world, chances are you’ll think the bags have a life of their own. Designed using algorithms and 3D printed to perfection, Koerner’s handbags are rigid, but visually lightweight, boasting a skeletal design that feels almost alien-like. However, Koerner takes inspiration from life around her, looking at nature for ideas. This particular bag draws from the shape of dried kelp found along the pacific coastline.
Designers: Julia Koerner, Kais Al-Rawi and Emma Sanson
The KELP MINI handbag was created using actual 3D scans of Kelp that were then edited, manipulated, and turned into a handbag-esque form. The handbag is almost entirely made out of 3D printed plastic, using resin-based printing techniques (which helps create flawless glossy surfaces with minimal print lines).
The bags are hinged at the base, with a cleverly detailed clasp on the top created using parts that snap to interlock when the bag is shut. The bag’s chain gets hooked onto details inside the bag, keeping the outer design clean, while allowing the chain to pass through one of the bag’s many openings.
Don’t expect the handbag to store much, given its compact, rigid design. Small items will easily fall out, but otherwise the KELP MINI is perfect for a coin purse, wallet, lipstick, and maybe a pair of sunglasses.
The bag’s immaculate designs are completely printed in sustainable plant based material, with the printers running entirely on solar energy. While Koerner takes heavy inspiration from nature, her reverence extends to protecting her source of inspiration too, ensuring that her products have minimal environmental impact. The handbags are printed in LA for shipping in America, and Vienna for Europe orders. For bags that have minor misprints, Koerner even sells them at a discount, ensuring nothing gets wasted.
The beauty of Koerner’s designs lie in the fact that they look so bizarrely different, you won’t be able to take your eyes off them. Whether it’s the jewlery from Black Panther or any of her other work, Koerner taps into an almost wild side of nature, relying on unconventional curves and organic geometry that bridges the lines between existing and impossible, and between design and art.
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