In 2002, this fashion-accessories label issued one of its first projects: a series of bags that appeared to contain weapons. Designers Carolien Vlieger and Hein van Dam sought to make a humorous comment on people’s fear of crime and wish to feel safer. The Guardian Angel bags appealed to people around the world and received plenty of press.
Today, a new range still comes out every season. The Dachshund series, evokes the dog-as-accessory trend. The Peepshow bags feature hidden images in gold foil meant for their owners’ eyes alone. And the GMT (Glasses Music Tickets) bags are made specially to hold road essentials like spectacles, iPods and documents.
The Rotterdam duo has worked together since 2000. Vlieger studied graphic design at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague; Van Dam, architectural design at the AKI Academy of Visual Arts & Design in Enschede. More recently, she did a course in shoe design and he one in bag design. “We like to combine all these skills to design surprising fashion items,” says Van Dam. “We’re interested in graphic design and product design, but we also get our inspiration from architecture, metropolitan landscapes, the six o’clock news, and the beautiful and ugly sides of urban life.”
New York’s Museum of Modern Art added a Guardian Angel bag to its permanent collection in 2006, and more than 50 stores around the world carry the duo’s products.
Links
vliegervandam.com
