OBJECTS 001: FELICIA FALLER CLIMBING HANDBAG

KA YO Objects pt.1 @feliciafaller Climbing Handbag → Objects is a recurring  project focused on creating, sourcing, upcycling or collaborating on interesting tactile objects. For the first in this series, local artist and climber @feliciafaller, presents her handmade one of one bags made of climbing rope. Felicia is a slow fashion creator who investigates the smoothing of gaps in social structures. Finding her inspiration at her workplace, the local climbing gym, she began experimenting with leftover climbing rope to create these unique bags. We are more than excited to present the first 4 bags going on sale to the public on our site.

Below are some behind the scene shots from her studio and climbing gym and an interview with:

What fuels your creative process and inspires your unique creations, particularly in your choice of materials and forms?

My creations require freedom, everything should preferably be unique otherwise it becomes boring. I have long been quite passionate about my creation, working quantitatively has been a good way for me to understand an inner core. Right now, climbing is my main inner source of inspiration and I mainly work with climbing ropes and carabiners as materials, which have incredible possibilities sculpturally.

What was the initial inspiration behind your climbing-inspired bags, and how did your unique approach to materials and crafting techniques develop from there?

The idea for the climbing-inspired bags started with a network project that I developed during a course called artistic processes. The project started from a half-finished crochet bag that traveled between various curious people and its hands, all to introduce the fun craft. Shortly after completing the project, I asked a friend in the climbing hall if she crocheted. She replied something along the lines of “no it’s boring, I have no patience for that”. Then I crocheted a bag from a climbing rope there in the hall to prove that it doesn’t have to be as boring and time-consuming as you might think. Suddenly the method, the material and the visual result clicked.

However, I don’t think she was recruited into the crochet swamp after my demonstration, but it fueled my interest even more. Since then, I have developed several bag models and feel that there are many variants waiting to come to life. I like the chunkines of the climbing rope and that with simple means you can create extreme volumes and cool shapes.

What are your long-term goals for your work in the industry, and how do you envision your creations being perceived and utilized by the public?

Going forward, I see myself continuing to work with fashion as an art form and that my creations are exhibited and sold both as art objects and design objects. In addition to that, I plan to hold courses where I convey my thoughts, ideas and techniques. My goal is for my name to be associated with a brand that is sustainable, transparent and generous.