You'd be forgiven for thinking you were in the wrong section looking at these bags, since they neither involve owls, patchwork or 'retro' motifs - all markers we've come to associate with Etsy over the years. Instead, they are smart and high quality items that could easily be mistaken for designer gear.
De Lacy specialises in making handmade luggage and some really fun accessories from top notch leathers, satins, silks, fabrics, and fastenings; each one an individual one-off piece. Prices reflect the work and quality that goes into the bags, which retail at around $89-450.
See the full collection here
Add a bit of brightness to your shopping trips with this fun fabric tote, handmade by Etsy craftster Fromnancy. If it's a bold print you're looking for, I think handmade is often a good way to go: prices are fart lower, and the quality is often much the same or even superior to similar styles you'll find on the high street.
Summery and reminiscent of beach fun and frolics, this bag is constructed of lightweight cotton canvas type fabric on the outside and inside, and has an extra layer of interfacing for structure and durability. It's also fully lined on the inside with coordinating cotton fabric.
$35 at Etsy
We heart cracked metallic leather, and it works a treat on this limited edition, screen-printed purse from short run handmade label Valerie Love. Unmistakably made the old-fashioned way, it would make a beautiful addition to the modern-day powder room (or dressing table) filled with your favourite makeup bits and scents.
Much as I'm seeing 'cosmetic bag' on this purse's future CV, It's actually intended to be used as a purse, with specially designed slots for cards and coins. A cracking find!
£25 at Not on the High Street
Hearts have a habit of popping up in footwear, but it's only around this time of year that the romantic motif tends to appear on bags, just in case anyone had forgotten it's Valentine's Day in a few weeks' time.
Whatever your romantic status, you've got to admit that these limited edition pieces from Farrago are eminently lovable. The mini-pouch, shown left, is a soft and squishy slouch bag that would make a great grab-and-go accessory, while the Hart and Soul bag, right, would be great for a date! Find both bags over on Etsy
If you feel like a project this weekend, a tote bag is probably the easiest handbag style to DIY, and this one I spotted over on Lia's Space is extremely cute. It is, in fact, not one bag but many, all hidden away for extreme practicality.
The 'moving bag' is so-called because it contains a number of Russian doll-like smaller bags, so the owner can choose which items to take with them and which to leave behind. Lia's used a variety of coloured PVC fabrics to create the durable and versatile totes.
If you'd like to download a tutorial and try making your own, you can do so here. [Via Crafty Crafty]
Clasp purses are huge at the moment and if it's a style that floats you're boat, you're probably keen to track down puffy purses made from interesting and unusual fabrics. After all, the style lends itself well to almost any colour or print, so you can really let your imagination run riot.
That's what the London-based makers of Bagatelles & Co. purses have clearly done, as each of their handmade items is a visual treat. My personal fave has got to be the Liberty Print purse, pictured above, but there are even more cute and eyecatching styles to be found at their Etsy Shop.
Sophisticated, quirky and fun, all of Bagatelles little pouches are fashion statements in their own right, and can in some cases be worn around the neck. The chain bag pictured above is $95 at the Etsy store and is one of a series, all in very different pattern and colour schemes.
Full range available here.
It's hard not to stare at a bag that's made from magenta leather, but when it's delicately flecked with ostrich specks and as unusually fashioned as this one, the staring becomes downright rude. What is that beautiful bag, and where is it from?
It's actually a handmade piece from Brighton-based designer Jane Hopkinson, who makes this style (along with dozens of others) in three fabric colours at her workshop in Ditchling on the South Coast. To see more from this fascinating designer, check out her site, where you can find out more about how to order and commissions.
Related: Out-of-this-world bags by Sonia Guzzo
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