Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg — Paper Handbag Props

Commissioned for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg 2012, the project involved the design and fabrication of a collection of sculptural paper handbags developed as part of the event's broader creative program.

Responding to a circus-inspired theme, the brief called for a series of distinctive accessories that would embrace imagination, performance, and visual spectacle while remaining grounded in the language of contemporary fashion design.

Rather than pursuing uniformity, each design embraced its own personality and visual identity. Floral forms, geometric constructions, exaggerated proportions, and playful structural interventions were developed to create a collection that reflected the diversity and eccentricity associated with both fashion and performance culture.

While every piece possessed a unique silhouette and character, a consistent design language connected the collection through an emphasis on craftsmanship, experimentation, and material transformation.

The use of paper as the sole material challenged conventional expectations of luxury accessories, demonstrating the material's capacity for sophistication, structural complexity, and expressive form.