Okay, so, I decided to remake this Large Prada Galleria Saffiano Leather Bag. You know, the one they sell at those fancy specialty stores? Yeah, that one. It’s a real looker, but man, it ain’t cheap! So, I thought, “Why not try to make one myself?”
First off, I started looking for the right material. This bag, it’s usually made of this stuff called Saffiano. Now, from what I gathered, Saffiano ain’t faux leather, it’s the real deal – calfskin that’s been treated to get this cross-hatch pattern. Makes it tough and water-resistant, perfect for a bag. Most of it is made in Italy, but you can find some made in other places in Europe too. I searched high and low, and finally, I found this gorgeous piece of blue full-grain Saffiano calf leather that looked pretty darn close to the real thing, and it was thick and sturdy, just like I wanted.
Then I got to work. I’ve seen this bag in black, and I have to say it has a strong look, but I went with the blue. The original has these two handles to carry it by hand. And it’s got this long strap, too. I made sure to get those details right on mine.
They call this thing a “Large Prada Galleria Saffiano Leather Bag”. Sounds fancy, right? But let’s be honest, it’s just a big purse. A darn good one, though. I focused on making mine just as spacious.
The original bag is fantastic quality, no doubt about it. This Saffiano leather, it’s got this semi-gloss wax surface that’s tough and keeps the dirt off. And it’s easy to clean, too, no need for any special stuff. I tried my best to replicate that quality in my remake.
- I cut the leather, making sure to follow the pattern I’d drawn up.
- I stitched the pieces together, which took some time, but I wanted it to be strong.
- I added the handles and the long strap, just like the original.
- And finally, I added the lining and some inside pockets, because who doesn’t love pockets?
This Saffiano has a distinctive look, with that unique cross-hatch texture, which screams luxury. I think I did a pretty good job capturing that in my version.
It was a lot of work, but you know what? I’m pretty proud of how it turned out. It’s a real nice bag, this remake Prada Galleria bag of mine. If you ever get the chance to see the real one in a Prada official flagship store, you’ll see what I mean. It’s somethin’ to see, but mine? Mine’s somethin’ I made with my own two hands, and that’s somethin’ special, too.
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