Back in Shanghai workplace

Back in time.

I once worked as handbag designer in Shanghai, China.  I worked for the second line of the company brand. It was my dream job actually, was a great opportunity.
I've learned a lots about the process of making the handbags in China.

Mood board.

Mood board is the form of inspirations, before making the design. After the research, you do the thumbnail of what your thoughts of the designs. You choose the inspirations, sketch the idea and think about the concept behind it. Usually, it based on the fashion trend forecast for the upcoming season.


Designers use the mood board as the points of the designs. Usually mood board has the samples of fabrics, pictures that inspires the upcoming designs, trends and some colors swatches.

Worksheets, color swatches and designs.

In the real projects progress, the marketing teams and the sales team usually reports about what kind of previous designs or style that made the best seller that season. It includes the colors, the fabrics type and the size. designer then use the reports as the sample for the next projects. Using almost the same designs, same size, same fabrics to do a new designs.


After designing on worksheets and complete it with color swatches, designers do the real size drawing based on the design in scale 1:1 .
Every once a week, the designers have to go to the factory to make a real sample.


in two weeks or less, the samples ready to be reviewed. Usually in every 3 month, the designers need to design at least 50 to 100 designs. From 100 designs, only 20 designs being approved and produced.