Upcoming designer shares how handbags sometimes have a deeper meaning

Meet 20-year-old Ciara Darcy, a talented, inspiring and up and coming designer. 

Although originally from Strabane Ciara is an adopted Derry girl having studied Art and Design at North West Regional College in the city. Most of her original designs focus on the use of beads to create handbags, keychains and even a funky quilt. This girl’s unique designs scream childhood, fun, playful, and colourful. What more could you ask for coming into the summer season. 

In the lead up to her final exhibition at NWRC the young upcoming designer spoke to Aoife McManus about her inspirations, what fashion means to her and the story behind her eyecatching beaded quilt. 

Aoife: Tell me a bit about how you got started & what inspires your work?

Ciara: I came to college in Derry straight after I finished school as I felt I was able for university just yet. So the art and design HND seemed like a good choice for me. The art in school was very limited but when I came to the college I was able to express myself creatively and experiment. My first project was on the theme of growing up so I sort of continued that theme into my latest designs and project. I went online and sourced beads from Vinted and second hand on Ebay. They were mostly from toys that children didn’t play with anymore. It was kind of a way of me reclaiming my childhood. I got hooked on the idea of using them and ended up making a quilt made solely from beads. 

The quilt was based on the idea of how AI is disrupting the art sector. We had a unit where it suggested using AI and the students completely disagreed. I thought to myself the beads are a very monotonous and time consuming project that AI couldn’t do. While completing my project I looked into the idea of how AI perpetuates gender based violence and this inspired me to make a quilt dedicated to women.

I started creating it in January and spent four months making 99 tiles which I sewed together to make a quilt. Each of the squares consists of something very stereotypically female, even the concept of quilting feels very feminine to me. There is a bra, a house, a baby, and a wedding to name a few. This quilt is a reflection of misogyny and stereotypes that appear on the surface, and the hard work, creativity and determination that is found underneath. My quilt looks simple and childlike but took me over 200 hours. My fingers bled while attaching the jump rings and I have so many tiny scars from iron burns, but that makes it all the more worthwhile. 

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ABOVE: The quilt Ciara spend months making

Aoife: Tell me about the process of making your handbags and where the inspiration for them came from?

Ciara: When that project was done I started making handbags and that then spiralled. It all started when I was going somewhere and I couldn’t find a bag I liked so I made one. It was like a challenge to see how much I could do with the beads. It was a whole process of lying them down, ironing them onto plastic sheets and clipping them together. They are actually really sturdy. The idea of a woman carrying a handbag is a very traditional thing to have however it can again relate to gender based violence. The handbag can be all pink and glittery on the outside but inside some women might carry safety alarms, pepper spray as forms of protection. It is interesting to note too that handbags were originally a men’s thing until women’s rights came about and women were able to carry their own handbags instead of putting their things in their husband’s. It was very much a statement. Another interesting fact about handbags and women is that Princess Diana always used her handbag to cover her cleavage to stop paparazzi getting inappropriate pictures. So I was inspired by this idea and made tiny bags known as ‘cleavage bags’. 

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ABOVE: A example of Ciara's handbag design

Aoife: Are there any other designers or other factors that influence your work? 

Ciara: I would say the designer Susan Alexandra influenced me in this project. Similarly she makes beaded handbags. Her work is very detailed; she sews a lot of the beads together. Whereas mine are panels that are clipped together. In general I just like really colourful designs. Verging on tacky and childish The colour pink is a big thing for me. I feel inspired by the film Legally Blonde. When I wear pink or see other people wearing pink it makes me think, I can do this. I am from the small town of Strabane, it is very often you hear about many artists from there. So when I came to Derry I was influenced by my surroundings and the people I met. Derry is a very creative city and that is inspiring in itself. 

Aoife: What are the plans for the future now that you are graduating and how do you see your work progressing?

Ciara: My plan is to push the handbags. There is a market in the craft village. I would love to get the chance to sell my designs there. Now that I have more free time when the course is finished I would love to create a full collection. Sometimes to promote my designs I will walk about town with my own handbags, I have got a good few compliments on them and I am sure to let people know that I have made it and am happy to make one for them. 

Want to see more of Ciara’s work you can find her on Instagram @ciaradarcyart