When we go on the hunt for bags, most of the time, we only find designs that have already been decided right from the start. Most often, they also come in a single piece, though some larger travel bags can split into different parts of different sizes. This practice of having fixed designs is more for practical purposes and efficiency since it’s easier to mass-produce objects with simpler designs. Very few bags allow you to personalize them aside from sticking pins or hanging accessories, but nothing that lets you change colors or even parts easily. This rather odd-looking handbag, however, tries to take the path less traveled to offer people some freedom to change the way the bag looks or even functions while still looking stylish and elegant regardless of the combination.
Designer: Scottie Xue
The Flatfish Bag, a.k.a. Ping-Pong Bag, is just as unusual as its name. While bags are mostly rectangular in shape in order to fit more items, this design concept is almost a complete circle. Its odd shape resembles a ping-pong or table tennis racket or, alternatively, a flatfish, hence the name. Although the extruded edge at the top doesn’t exactly do much to make it more space-efficient, it’s a necessary deviation to make the bag easier to use.
More than its unique form, however, the Flatfish Bag’s real defining feature is its modularity. While it has the semblance of a single piece of accessory like most bags, it’s actually made up of four distinct parts. Each face of the bag is actually a separate part, joined only by a single zipper. There’s also a detachable handle as well as a shoulder strap, which can be attached or removed depending on your need or even your mood.
The idea is that you can freely mix and match different designs of the two sides, presuming there are quite a few available. The only requirement is that you have compatible sides; that is, one side will have the zipper head while the other doesn’t. In most cases, you’ll probably have a complete pair for each design anyway, so it’s really just a matter of combing the correct halves.
Modular bags aren’t exactly new, but rare are the ones designed for casual or formal use. It’s a bit difficult to pull off such a flexible design that looks stylish and classy. It’s a delicate balancing act that bag designers have to make, which is why many simply decide to err on the side of simplicity. Of course, the Flatfish Bag only really makes sense if there are different variations of the design available. Otherwise, a modular bag such as this will fall flat anyway, pun completely intended.
