DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
OFAJA : By the emancipation of the female population has changed the need for shape, size and function, and thus also the form of "handbag". Far gone is the time when a woman had only a perfumed handkerchief in her handbag. Today's modern woman needs a multifunctional purse to handle her daytime activities and does not have to be changed her during the day, so she can: walk with a dog, go to work, to work lunch, shopping, visit the gym, theater, bar ... go with one "handbag". We are therefore trying to create "a multifunctional object" that will perform all these functions. That's how our multibags were developed.
Similar problems are solved by men who are not our primary target group, even though the Multibags Rebels have addressed them as well.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
OFAJA : Experimenting with shapes and forms is a great adventure for us and resulted in the determining features of our models: minimalist geometric shapes, volume distribution to the surface, emphasizing geometry with a double top seam. But the shape effect should never stand in the way of functionality; instead, there is room for multifunctionality: multibags change color, they change to bags, from backpack to purses, the inner furnishing of the handbags can become a small purse or pouch.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
OFAJA : We are very delighted that our collection Multibags 5in1 was awarded by a Bronze A'Design Award this year and we believe that our customers who bought a multibag from this collection will be cheerful as well. And, of course, we hope that our next collection will be successfull as well.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
OFAJA : We have been working on this collection since last year in our studio in Prague. So far we exhibited the collection in 5 runway shows, including International Fashion Weeks in Amsterdam 2019. This collection is also reachable on the platform Not Just a Label.
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
OFAJA : At first there was nothing, just an idea. At the end we hold the finished multibag and we look forward to it before it starts its life journey. We play with animality of used materials, we experiment with shapes and forms - not to mention the magical realm of colors, light and darkness. We take it all in, we shuffle it in our minds, and initially we just shamelessly entrust a sheet of paper long before we dare to grab a incisor and to irreversibly define the future shape in the material. Then there is only the pleasure of making. We have respect for natural materials and we also want to give them a new life. We feel how they speak to us, and we want to share this experience with people who like it.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
OFAJA : The Franco Arazzi Studio are two designers: Olina Francová and Jitka Arazimová. The studio is dedicated to the design of leather handbags, bags and backpacks (which we call multibags), which are clearly recognizable by their original handwriting. Primary is the experimenting with the topic of multibags and the development of new models. That's why the multibags are made only on order, in small series and they all are pure originals.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
OFAJA : We want our multibags to be not only a "thing to carry things" but much more - to become a part of their wearer’s life, expressing his opinion and to be his dear and original companion. The character of the multibags has also created a great space for the fantasy of those who wear the model. They are self-confident individuals with original thinking, looking for a playful, extravagant fashion accessory - these are our customers and rightly for them we have established the brand FRANCO ARAZZI.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
OFAJA : We are following the way of total originality - this is what we enjoy the most about the designing of our multibags.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
OFAJA : Our ambition is to create multifunctional bags that will match with their owners, which will merge with their owner’s personalities and become part of their lives.
Multibags 5in1 are designed for non-conformist individuals who like to rebel against fashion dictation and stereotypes. Against the effort to influence the customer buying a bunch of handbags every year and getting rid of them as quickly as possible, we offer one bag instead of ten. A subject that the owner can love and get used to is a long time with him and which serves him in different situations.
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
OFAJA : Multibags Rebels are trying to entertain by its multifunctionality.
Our "rebellious" and multishaped handbags are not subject to any fashion dictates, they are as free as their owners. They do not need to draw attention to the social status or the amount of the credit card. On the contrary, they should be an original complement and a functional subject for a self-confident "wearer" who wants to be different and is not afraid to break out of the crowd.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
OFAJA : The design of the Multibags 5in1 collection is based on multifunctionality. We focused on wide offer of possible variation you can create from the single multibag. Each of them can be worn in - at east - 5 different ways according to the best fits to your immediate needs. If you choose bag, handybag, backpack, purse, letter-bag - it is only up to you!
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
OFAJA : Head, hands, pencil and paper, scissors and sewing machine :-)
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
OFAJA : We give a space to the user to use his own fantasy - both for knitting different knots and for further experimentation: the rope can be removed from the bag and used when we need something to tie, the bag itself can serve as a seat or pillow...
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
OFAJA : Our brand Franco Arazzi - Multibags makes the two of us, Olina Francová and Jitka Arazimová.
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
OFAJA : We use high quality cowhide with upholstery in treatment. Multibags are therefore resistant to both weather and mechanical wear, and with proper care can last for a long time.
The bags are sewn with the double-seam face technology which is very durable and ensures the stable shape of the bag. Used boat ropes are also extremely durable and allow repeated knotting of knots.
DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
OFAJA : The biggest challenge during the realization of the Multibags 5in1 collection was that one of us had to fight with a cancer. That help us to figured out that we can also heal by design. So our latest nonprofit project focuses on the design of ‘bare head’ hats s for women after chemotherapy which we called Chemohat. We could go into the project without worrying about the bad feelings or misplaced considerations of the patients.
By designing Chemohats for one of us, we also had a direct experience with the Czech society response to "unusual caps". Unfortunately, we must state that Czech society is not fully prepared and mostly think that the patients should not point out on themselves, that women in their fifties should not be extravagantly at all, ... this would put it on a longer social and gender study.
That is why we try to "cure by design" and to convince the society that the otherness is correct. That good design enriches life. That fashion is supposed to be fun for all: for its creator, bearer, and for ordinary observer. We see design challenges in all life situations, whether they concern us directly or not. We have fun, enjoy and enrich our, and perhaps not only our, lifes.
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
OFAJA : We choose to participate after last year amazing experience with this competition when we won a Silver Award for our previous collection Multibags Rebels.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
OFAJA : The participation and following award in this competition really confirmed our self-confidence in the way of realization of our design. Achievement of such a success is allowed to only few designers in the world and we really appreciate it.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
OFAJA : We would like to add that a person, who can focus on a creative work of her/his own, is the most blessed person in the world.
