Ok, we can finally reveal our finished bag. Acting fashion editor Britta Burger found a canvas duffle bag from the Converse Bags & Accessories launch collection, a ‘back to school’ pencil case and a school notebook on her doorstep a couple of weeks ago:

She got creative with some wool, whistles and marker pens and made this (plus did a little photoshoot and interview):

What band’s style influenced you at school and why?
Nirvana. It was all about grunge back then.

Describe your school style or your favourite accessory?
Grungey – beige corduroy Levi’s, grey lambswool sweaters, my grandad’s old cardigans, mini kilts and over the knee socks, embroidered waistcoats, my favourite items were a black vintage tailcoat and a floorlength navy military double breasted coat with gold buttons – it was two sizes too big and I thought it looked amazing (we obviously didn’t have to wear uniforms…)

How did you style up your school uniform?
I went to school in Austria, we don’t have uniforms there. But I remember being so impressed with them on my first trip to England as a teenager that I wore my own version of a British school uniform for at least a year…

The inspiration behind the bag:
I worked on the bag whilst I was back home in Austria which was where I grew up.
I’m a big fan of the author John Updike and his ‘Rabbit’ tetralogy, the duffle bag really reminded me of all-American High-School basketball heroes, the whole sporty collegiate style. It’s also about the way I grew up, the whistles remind me of my parents who were sports teachers and the poms poms, which I made with wool from my Granma’s house, are kind of like balls.
The canvas of the bag was just asking to be drawn on with the markers and I suppose it’s also an abstract take on the classic stars and stripes, but I was inspired by the iconic pop art aspect of it, not the fact that it’s a national flag.

The new line is available from August at stockists including Schuh, JD Sports and blackleaf.com Prices range from £19 – £54.95

Image credits: Curtis Gibson