Have you seen 1154 Lill Studio before? They’re amazing.  I first discovered them through Shannon’s  Flickr photostream, where she shows some 1154 Lill Studio bags off with her Fluevog Fiorenzas.  I asked her to write a review, and she graciously obliged. (She also sells her handmade wares as Angry Parrot.  Go check it out!)

“I heard about 1154 Lill Studio through a friend of mine. She had an 1154 Lill Studio handbag party earlier this year which was a great way to see all the different bags and fabrics.  What drew me to these bags is that you can design your own bag, choosing the style of bag and the fabric.  The easiest part of this process for me was choosing the style of the bag.  I wanted a bag that was compact, yet large enough to carry my essentials as well as a few items for my baby.  I also wanted a bag that I could wear as a messenger style.  I chose the Sophie bag because it has two large pockets, as well as an inner zipper pocket that divides the two large pockets.  The strap is adjustable, so that it can be worn long and across the body, or adjusted to shorter lengths to carry over the shoulder.  Since I found so many fabrics I liked I decided to go for a second bag as well, and chose the Charlie bag. 

The Charlie bag is very simple with no pockets on the inside; however, it does feature a key ring which is handy.  The strap is long enough to wear across the body, but it can also be carried over the shoulder.   I don’t coordinate my bags with my outfits, so I tend to carry the same bag for several weeks at a time.  The fabrics wear just like any fabric bag wears, normal rubbing from being against your body, but the quality of the workmanship is good, with no signs of wear on any of the seams.  The lining is durable as well.   When you purchase a bag they do recommend spraying the fabric with a fabric protector.   If you like expressing yourself with your accessories, an 1154 Lill Studio handbag is perfect.  The style and fabric combination you select easily creates a one-of-a-kind bag.  And if you aren’t interested in choosing the fabrics, they do have readymade bags available as well.”

I’ve found myself totally loving this site!  One of my favorite features is the fact that you can search by type of closure. I prefer bags with zippers, so this is so helpful.   On each bag’s page, you can look at the interior schematics (closure, pockets, etc), see what the bag looks like on a model (something I always prefer to have available) and see alternate views of the bag.  For those of you in the area, they also have brick and mortar stores in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Kansas City.

Feeling crafty? They also sell their fabric by the yard, although the price tag (most are $29 a yard) is pretty hefty.

Once I know for sure that I’ll have a job come August, I think I might shell out for one of these.