… with Kerri-Anne Anderson—by Aine Dowling

The Three Sixty Fashion Market is an explosion of treasure—it’s like the genie popped out of the bottle and showered the building with a blaze of colour and design—from op-shop to vintage and exclusive designer fashion right through to gorgeous delicate jewellery and accessories. At their last market we caught up with the lovely Kerri-Anne Anderson who makes a gorgeous range of bags, totes, purses, clutches and wallets—sustainable, ethical, and what’s more, all made and designed in Canberra.

The bags are made from scraps and off-cuts that Kerri-Anne has collected over the years, though some new material does appear from time-to-time. The quality of the bags is amazing and all the bags are unique—one of a kind, so you’re getting something really individual. So what does it take to make these lovely items?

“The average bag takes about five or six hours to cut,” says Kerri-Anne, “plus about another 15 to 20 hours on top of that as the bags are made as a single design from three different colours. I also make bags to order as well as fulfilling requests for different straps or extra pockets. My bags are one of a kind so no two are the same.

“I’ve always loved handbags and since learning to sew they’ve been my favourite item to make. I studied Fashion Design and Production in Melbourne and the course taught me all the skills I needed to take handbag from design to the finished product, but it’s difficult to get a job in the industry so I decided to make my own handbag label instead. I enjoy the challenge of mixing fashion, functionality, and useability.”

Kerri-Anne’s bags range from brightly coloured and pattern mixes, to very trendy (and corporate) monochrome, and serviceable denim, with a terrific men’s/unisex range. “I originally started out making bags that I would personally use, but have since branched out in both theme and colour palette. I guess my target market is anyone who enjoys stylish fashion and likes to match their bags, or even make a statement that allows them to stand out.”

You can find Kerri-Anne at the Three Sixty Fashion Market (next market is 22 November), and on Facebook, Etsy, and Instagram.

They do say a handbag reflects your personality, so check out Kerri-Anne’s designs—you’ll find one just for you!