Okay, here is my blog about remaking the PRADA Medium Prada Galleria Saffiano Leather Bag:
So, I saw this PRADA Medium Prada Galleria Saffiano Leather Bag the other day, and I thought, “Hey, I can totally make that!” It looked so elegant. So, the challenge was accepted, and let me tell you, it was a journey.
First things first, I went online and looked everywhere for details about this bag. Turns out, this baby is made up of 83 different pieces. 83! Can you believe that? I mean, who would’ve thought, right? I searched everywhere, looked at all those product pages, and tried to find as many pictures as I could. The more details I had the better.
Then came the fun part – gathering materials. I needed that Saffiano leather. I went to a couple of local leather shops in my area, trying to find something that was similar, or at least felt the same to the touch, and looked like it as much as possible. I also had to find some good quality lining and all the little metal bits and pieces – the logo, the zippers, the buckles, you name it. I managed to find those online from different places, and thankfully the shipping wasn’t too bad, and it all arrived relatively quickly, so I was able to get on with the build.
Once I had all my materials, I started cutting. Oh boy, cutting leather is no joke. You gotta be precise, or the whole thing falls apart. I sketched out each of the 83 pieces, based on the pictures I found online and some patterns I kind of made up from looking at other bags. I used a lot of pins and paper, and drew a lot of lines before I even took a blade to the leather. I used a rotary cutter and a metal ruler to make sure I cut each piece to an exact shape, otherwise I’d have some serious problems later.
After cutting, I started assembling. I used an industrial sewing machine for most of it, but some parts were better done by hand, especially the tiny corners and edges. Some of those curves were tricky. Each piece had to be carefully attached. I used glue, and then once that was dry, I’d stitch everything with the machine or by hand.
- Searched everywhere online for details about the bag.
- Went to local leather shops to find Saffiano leather.
- Ordered metal parts online from different places.
- Sketched out each of the 83 pieces.
- Carefully cut the leather using a rotary cutter and a metal ruler.
- Assembled the bag using an industrial sewing machine and hand stitching.
Steps I Took:
Putting together the lining was a whole other story. It’s like making a bag inside a bag. But I managed, and it looked pretty decent, if I do say so myself. It was a lot of trial and error. I had to sew the lining in by hand, making sure it looked neat and tidy. Then, it was time to add the hardware. This was the most satisfying part. Seeing the bag take its final form was just amazing. I attached the logo, added the zipper, and put on the buckles. It actually looked like the Galleria bag!
The whole thing took me a few weeks, working on and off. There were moments of frustration, sure, but also moments of pure joy when a piece fit perfectly or a seam looked just right. I gotta say, this project was one of the most challenging things I’ve done, but also one of the most rewarding. I made a lot of mistakes, but I was able to fix them all in the end. It’s not perfect, but it’s my version of the Galleria, and I’m pretty proud of it!
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but seeing the finished product was worth it. Plus, now I have a pretty cool bag that I made myself. It was a challenge, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.
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