Carry me Of all the fashion accessories at present—Ray-Ban sunglasses, Pucci scarves, Eisenberg cocktail rings—none are more dazzling than Lucite handbags. Lucite handbags become high class and celebrity’s n nouveau chic of evening bag of choice as long as they are launched to the public. As one of the most well-known original Lucite designers, Will Hardy will share his experiences of designing and manufacturing with us today.
1.
2.
When did you start designing
"Will," was the artist, designer,
particular size needed for the
bags?
a great motivator and a man
purse, then heated in an oven
I began to work for my
who is obsessed with unusual
until it was flexible. The piece
family in 1946 as Handbag
social grace.
was wrapped and clamped
Specialties. It is a family business
between
my
around a wooden form until it
3.
Do
you
have
a
certain
cooled.
After
cooling,
the
grandfather, and my father.
process when working on
piece would maintain its new
My grandfather, who everyone
the collections?
shape indefinitely.
called "Bill," was a genius in
I inherit my father's concept
mathematics
of "summer camp". Briefly, the
and
a
"hard
business man." My father,
plastic
was
cut
to
the
4.
Describe your techniques. The bags from WILARDY are
indestructible bags, a bag as
idea of using Lucite as a
are designed for starlets and
tough as a car, to last forever.
medium (rather than plastic)
society dames.
Molded
to create these sculpture-like
and
hand-welded,
manufacturing Lucite bags are costly,
9.
handbags.
so
How do you feel about the bag industry at the moment
7.
the
What
and how do you think it is
resulting
going to develop in the
product
is
future?
expensive.
5.
What is it
This market grows to develop
about
continually
your
higher
quality
bags
you
bags consisting of very thick
are
best
plastics and heavy lids. Later,
known for?
materials and fabrications
manufacturers also serves the
Our most expensive bags are
do you use?
lower-end
probably the jewelry
market
by
box-
We use hard plastic very often,
providing handbags made of
purse. The customers who
but this type of material is
lighter, more fragile plastics
love our bags are the actresses
costly and needs a lot of
that could be afforded by
and ladies of the high society.
process to finish. So I am
teenagers at the local five and
It is made not just to carry it
considering producing vinyl,
dime.
but to show it and be admired.
which
Our bags are famous for the
expensive to work with.
unique design, the choice of
We also use basket-weave
colour
fabric to make more option
shapes
and
the
such
geometric
as
squares,
is
easier
and
less
10.
for customers.
Do you have any thoughts on the other bags?
I am considering launching the
rectangles or circles.
8. 6.
Do you have a signature
What inspires you and where
type
do you find inspiration? Is
design in your collection?
there a
Our bags are extravagant yet
theme
that
runs
that
you
always
through each bag collection?
durable designs. We produce
My
a
first
inspiration
was
series
of
sleek,
tough
placing two handles on a
Lucite bags of which the
jewelry box and looking at it
brightest star is undoubtedly
as
if
the
capsule-
it
shaped
Rocket.
was
The
sensual
a
curves,
rich,
glossy colours and
clear bags. Women can put a
lavish decorations
scarf inside their clear bags,
of
and then put their stuff inside
accessories
(rhinestone, handbag. This spawned the
mother-of-pearl and jewelry)
the scarf. They change their scarf to match their outfit.