Press Release
Wit Bag by Teresa Chan Wins the A' Design Award in Fashion and Travel Accessories Design
Teresa Chan honored for fashion and travel accessories design by the international grand jury of the 2021 - 2022 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 22, 2022 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Wit Bag by Teresa Chan, designed for Kalón, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Fashion and Travel Accessories Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2021 - 2022 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the A' Design Award
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
More About Wit Bag
Wit is a convertible bag designed for everyday use. Wit can be carried in five ways: as a handbag, a shoulder bag, a crossbody bag, a backpack and a top-handle bag. The fluid and supple structure folds and unfolds into four silhouettes: folded, structured, slouchy and expanded. Two adjustable and detachable straps support each carrying mode. Two modular add-ons, an everyday bag insert and a laptop sleeve, can be used inside the bag or alone. The bag is made of cactus leather, a lightweight, durable and water-resistant plant-based leather alternative.
About Teresa Chan
Kalón is the next-generation accessories DTC brand empowering women's modern lifestyles through blending form, function, & sustainability. Teresa is the Founder & CEO of Kalón, she is named a Forbes Under 30 Founder in Asia, and is a Techstars alumnus. She started her career in consulting, Fintech, and entrepreneurship, Teresa is a graduate of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in International Business.
Award Record
Teresa Chan is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.
About the A' Fashion and Travel Accessories Design Award
The A' Accessory Design Award is an international fashion design competition recognizing good accessory designs by leading designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to accessory designers, fashion designers, travel accessory designers and luxury goods manufacturers from all countries. Typical entries include handbags, scarves, belts, luggage, hats and travel bags. The awarded accessory designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/accessory
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/137319
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/137319
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!137319
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/327019
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://kalonny.com/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Wit Bag
- Function
- Bag
- Category
- Fashion and Travel Accessories Design
- Discipline
- Fashion Design
- Industry
- Fashion and Luxury
- Colors
- Black, Dark Slate Gray, Tan, Gray and Dim Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Kalón
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Teresa Chan
- Country
- Hong Kong (China)
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2021 - 2022
- Design ID
- #137319
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Media Studio Hong Kong Limited Model Yana Basalaeva
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The five-way WIT Bag is a multifunctional masterpiece to empower modern lifestyles by blending style, functionality, and sustainability. Designed to adapt and transform, it can be carried as a handbag, shoulder bag, crossbody, backpack, and top-handle. Its fluid and supple structure easily folds and unfolds for four iconic silhouettes: folded, structured, slouchy, and expanded. Featuring two customized modular add-ons: The Everyday bag insert and Laptop Sleeve are designed to pair perfectly or stunningly standalone. Crafted in Cactus leather, an innovative plant-based leather alternative.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Women In Tech and created by a Forbes Under 30 female founder, the WIT Bag blends design, functionality, & sustainability. Being an entrepreneur who is constantly in motion, I found myself struggling with heavy & bulky bags. Technology is constantly transforming our lives, but we are still compromising on style and function for our handbags. We aim to reimagine everyday bags to realise the best of both worlds, ethics & aesthetics, luxury & style. With remote working on the rise, the need for an alternative to a regular work bag became even greater. We strive to design a bag as multifaceted as our modern lifestyles.
- Research
- We carried out in-depth market research to study and evaluate existing convertible handbags for women. We sent questionnaires to target audiences to study their current interaction with everyday bags, existing pain points, and possible solutions. With global events and changes to our lifestyles, users emphasize versatility and practicality in their everyday bags. We found out that plant-based leather alternatives are on the rise, and most of them are intrigued with such material.
- Challenge
- One of the biggest challenges is to overcome the transformative concept. The bag must be flexible, user-friendly, but durable in each independent form. We have tested multiple prototypes to achieve the ideal construction and outcome. The second challenge is working with innovative vegan materials. We have experimented with several plant-based options to ensure durability and performance before deciding on cactus leather. The material is only available in Mexico, and we have to navigate suitable partners with adequate expertise in working with such material.
- Realization and Technology
- The fluid structure is achieved by manipulating the materials. The side frame is reinforced to maintain the shape. The main bag is constructed to drape and fold, creating a natural curvature. The material, Desserto Cactus leather, is a lightweight, durable, and water-resistant vegan leather alternative. Bag inserts fabrics are waterproof and lightweight.
- Operation and Interaction
- The bag is transformed by manipulating the shape and arranging the straps. The bag is structured when the bag insert is placed inside. The bag naturally slouches when the bag insert is removed, it can also be folded into a triangular top-handle bag. To carry as a backpack, the bag flaps can be expanded and secured by a zipper, and straps can be attached. The bag contains two adjustable and detachable straps for transforming different ways to carry.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in August 2021 in New York and Hong Kong. The product launched in February 2022.
- Specifications
- Width 370mm x Depth 115mm x Height 290mm. Weight: 900gr (only the WIT Bag. Up to 12 dedicated compartments for keys, bottles, laptop, etc.
- Keywords
- Modular bag, convertible bag, vegan bag, fashion design, female-founded
