One of a kind

Why do I create one of a kind bags and embellished denim jackets?
That's the question which I want to answer to you in this blogpost. First of all I asked by myself how well known this term, shortened OOAK, really is. I think it's very well known in American English. I found out that in British English this term is known by "one off". I didn't know that until now. And what is exactly the meaning of it? I always have understood the meaning is that there is only one item of the design. And that is what I do; creating a different design each time. 
Below already a preview of different designs made of one kind of fabric:
 

History
In the very first blogpost I already told extensively that I have begun with creating jewelry. I repeat it shortly, so you don't have to read it completely. I already started my own webshop in 2005, named Sieraden Design Catena. I did that for years, and I also created jewelry for shops. One day I started a shop on Etsy, the American platform. Besides jewelry i started with the bags and step by step I stopped my first passion. Meanwhile I also began to upcycle jean jackets in for instance Ibiza style.
Since the beginning of 2018 this webshop Catena Bags is online. The Etsy shop will end soon.

The discovery
But what this is all about is that I already realized with making jewelry that I mostly loved to design a new item each time. I had some well selling items of which I made a copy when it was sold but I didn't like that at all. One time I designed a line for a shop with the meaning of course to create more of one design.
I soon discovered that it limited my creativity. When I designed something I always had to know that I had enough in stock or I could buy more of each material. I wasn't used to that, I normally used every part which was available, even the last leftover. This collection didn't become a huge success and I knew I only wanted to do one of a kind in the future.
 

Only OOAK
That's like it's going with the bags and the embellishing of jean jackets in boho or bohemian style. Each one is unique, there's no second one of it. That's what I really like to do; making the most unique combinations of fabrics, colors, patterns like flowers or for example Navajo style. These often are provided richly with several materials like fringe, pompons and patches. I normally don't buy much of one materials, but sometimes you have that great fabric which you can use endlessly. Beneath you'll find some examples of one fabric used in several totally different bags or jackets.

I hope you got some more background information with this story.
See you next time!

Alice Loopeker