During ten years of the existence of Holywool Bags, the creator and designer of the brand, Aliaksandra, has managed to present us with several outstanding bags with iconic designs.
You can picture her image and you can immediately think of the detail that distinguishes her from others, a bag that always attracts attention and makes a bold statement.
Following your path
Growing up I would watch my mom spend hours working hard at a sewing machine and I realized what a difficult job it is. I told myself that I didn’t want to follow in her footsteps and I was convinced a different life awaited me. First, I graduated from an Architectural University as an artist-designer, then I graduated from the Academy of Arts in the TV advertising department. All of that helped me develop an artistic taste. I acquired a keen sense of observation, a sense for composition, as well as drawing and painting skills. It was far from the hard work of handcrafting.
At some point, wool felting became very popular and I started experimenting in that field. People were creating souvenirs, dolls, and even clothes. I Got excited about the idea of creating handbags, but in the beginning only as a hobby. I got very involved in the process because from a small ball of wool, you can make an entirely different object, and this provides a huge space for creativity. I would post photos of my creations on social media, and I would get requests for them.
The moment came when I needed leather details such as inserts and handles to realize certain ideas for my bags. The search for these materials pushed me to experiment with creating leather bags.
I learned all the production technology by myself, and I continue to grow and learn independently in this field. A friend helped me create a logo and Holywool and the brand took off.
Leather and Fabric
The uniqueness of my brand lies in using a wide variety of materials and different types of bag designs. I create not only leather accessories but also textile and wickerwork.
All my models are popular including leather bags, fishnet bags, pillow bags, and wicker barrel bags. I do the leather work myself and the other bag designs are created in a workshop according to my sketches and patterns.
All my bags are created first for myself. I test their shape and functionality, evaluate their comfort and durability, and analyze their negative and positive qualities. These “drafts” help me fine-tune the model and present the perfect product to the client.
This was the way a record-sale fringe bag was born. At first, it was a simple fanny pack bag that could be worn over the shoulder or used as a clutch. It is great for traveling.
Later on, while getting ready for a birthday party, I added fringes and then the decorative eye element. It has nothing to do with the traditional Turkish evil eye symbol. I was just fascinated with the image of the eye itself. I used it on my manicure designs and drew it in many instances. It was a recurring theme that inspired me. Then I decided to use it for bag decoration. Both I and my clients loved the idea. I created different variations and interpretations. This design has been popular already for five years and some of my clients own three bags with a variation of this design.
The pillow bag also has a very interesting story. While getting ready for traveling I was looking for a universal bag with a lot of space inside. It was autumn and the bag was supposed to match my warm wardrobe – above all my down coat. Later I used the bag as a pillow during long journeys, as a hand warmer (keeping my hands under the upper flap), and sometimes as a sitting pillow – that’s how diverse its usage was.
At first during the pandemic, with the shortage of the materials and their delivery, I had a lot of difficulties – but now I am back to my normal rhythm.
I work only with imported Italian leather as I have not managed to find those appropriate materials for my products in the Belarus market.
Nowadays the tendency to use minimal color has become less trendy. My clients have a variety of colors they can choose from. When I visit the warehouse, I choose the highest quality leather and pick a sample of colors. For my clients, I can build virtual models according to their choice of color and design. But more often my clients trust my artistic taste. They will choose the general color scheme and follow my guide for choosing the stitching and fitting details.
Woman’s breast as an element of épatage
Being inspired by the designer of bog oak jewelry by Daria Label D, I came up with the idea of using bog oak for a bold decorative element – women’s breasts. It is an element that combines essential feminine energy and the uniquely colored textured bog oak material.
This is a valuable kind of wood that dates back thousands of years ago.
The specific age of the bog oak is determined by radioactive analysis that is performed only in one laboratory in Belarus due to its complexity.
The unique feature of bog oak is its black color with some variations in tone. The color is acquired after many centuries of submersion in the water. The wood changes color under the influence of a chemical reaction where the tannins react with the salts dissolved in the water. The shade of the bog oak depends on the concentration of salts in the water and the period of submersion. The form of the decoration is cut by a milling machine and then the piece is polished with oils by hand.
My friend helped me to create the 3D model and Daria helped to produce the decorative detail for the bag. This detail is provocative. It catches the eye and keeps your gaze while you admire its beauty. People often ask to touch it and ask where they can buy it.
Seasonal trends for me are fast fashion
I decided long ago that I do not want to follow the seasonal trends. My motto is that investment in the purchase must be justified by the longevity of the product. This relates to the purchase of leather bags too. You are buying it not for one season and count on using it for a long time.
Unfortunately, leather is not like fabric – it has an irregular shape and after the pattern for a bag is cut you always have remnant scraps. I found a solution: I pass these remnants to accessory designers who create high-quality leather designer jewelry. This creates the possibility for a waste-free and ecologically friendly production. The excess leather gets a new life as other accessories.
I was always concerned with these remnant leather scraps. My balcony used to be cluttered with them because I could not bring myself to throw them away. Now in the workshop, I don’t have this problem – all the extra goes immediately to the accessory designers.
The designer does not equal an atelier
Sometimes at fashion fairs, customers ask if it is possible to change the elements of the bag including size, buttons, snaps, and handles. They will say they like the model but want to customize it by introducing changes.
And every time I give the same answer – a designer does not create bags according to individual requests. I work as an artist with many years of experience in technology and design, and if you came to get my product, in this case, a bag, you should completely trust my taste.
These individual requests are a better fit for the atelier where you can make all necessary changes or copy your favorite brands.
Inspiration from Observation
It is very difficult to deliberately look for inspiration. Ideas are often born spontaneously. A key element in generating ideas is processing and analyzing visual experiences. I always see what works and how to improve on it. Watching various modern trends, I am attracted to certain tendencies and I get inspired to develop them in my way. I mix styles and trends, but this doesn’t interfere with Holywool Bags being unique and recognizable.
My bags are all about individuality, originality, and recognition, especially handbags with fringes. I dressed almost all the girls in Belarus with these bags and a lot of my followers abroad. I enjoy seeing my bags being used and becoming a part of creative outfits. I am happy to see my bags around. I always pay attention to the condition of the bag and the leather to assess its durability and longevity. I get upset when I see my bags not taken care of. Bags need care as do all other items in our wardrobe like shoes.
About my hobbies when you go to the mountains not only for the extreme
I used to dislike winter because I had no idea how to entertain myself. I could not find a good way to unwind and recharge. But now I found it – snowboarding. Snowboarding is a way for me to get distracted, enjoy the fresh mountain air, and achieve a pleasant feeling of muscle soreness. For me, snowboarding is at the same time an extreme adrenaline rush and a peaceful atmosphere where I socialize with wonderful people. I can listen to classical music in my earphones and the descent from the top of the mountain becomes an oasis of tranquility.
I enjoy aesthetics in everything and snowboarding among beautiful landscapes adds to my enjoyment as well as the feeling of freedom and flying.
One more hobby of mine is embroidering. The monotonous movement of the needle with a thread is the best relaxer. It provides the opportunity to meditate, calm down with your thoughts, and enjoy solitude. At some point, I entertained the idea of taking special couture embroidery courses in Paris but at this point, I postponed this idea for better times.
During the last ten years, big changes have happened in my life. I went from the deep conviction that I will spend my time in front of the computer or with a sketchbook creating my graphic designs without laboring with my own hands to creating my own brand Holywool Bags where I have the desire to personally produce unique and recognizable bags which I want to give to every girl in Belarus and beyond.