Okay, so, I saw this PRADA Re-Edition 2000 bag at their official flagship store the other day, and I was like, “I gotta have it!” But, you know, the price tag was a bit…ouch. So, I decided, why not try to remake it myself? Challenge accepted!
First, I did some digging. I checked out their official online store, just to see all the details of the bag. They mention it’s a re-edition of an iconic style from 2002, made with this “Re-Nylon” stuff, which is apparently made from recycled plastic from the ocean. Sounds fancy, right?
Then I started hunting for materials. Finding something that looked and felt like this Re-Nylon was tricky. I went to a bunch of fabric stores, feeling up all sorts of synthetic materials. I finally found some black, sturdy fabric that I think gets pretty close. It’s not exactly the same, but it has that nice, smooth, slightly shiny look. I also grabbed some Saffiano leather scraps for the details, because the original bag has those, and I wanted mine to have that same classy touch.
Next up, the pattern. I couldn’t find an exact pattern for this bag anywhere, so I had to get creative. I took a bunch of screenshots from the official store, studied the shape and size, and then drafted my own pattern. It took a few tries, I won’t lie. I cut out some test pieces from cheap fabric first, sewed them together, and made adjustments until I was happy with the shape.
Once I had my pattern and materials, it was sewing time! I dusted off my old sewing machine, which hadn’t seen the light of day in ages, and got to work. Sewing the main body of the bag was actually pretty straightforward. The tricky part was the details. The original bag has this metal triangle logo and a zipper, and getting those to look right was a real pain. I ended up buying a similar zipper and hand-stitching it in place. The logo was tough. I found a piece of metal at a hardware store, cut it into a triangle, and then, carefully, very carefully, attached it to the bag with strong glue. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked the part.
The shoulder strap was another challenge. I used the same fabric as the main body, but I wanted it to be sturdy, so I added some interfacing inside to give it more structure. I also added a little leather detail to the strap, just like the original. I think it made it looks a bit more polished and closer to the original.
- Found a decent fabric similar to the Re-Nylon.
- Got some Saffiano leather scraps for the details.
- Created my own pattern after looking at tons of pictures.
- Sewed the main bag body.
- Hand-stitched the zipper.
- Made a makeshift logo from a piece of metal.
- Made the shoulder strap with added interfacing for sturdiness.
After many hours of work, many broken needles, and a few moments where I almost threw the whole thing out the window, my PRADA Re-Edition 2000 bag was finally done! It’s not a perfect replica, of course. There are some differences, and it definitely has that “handmade” charm. But I’m super proud of it! It looks pretty darn close to the original, and I saved a ton of money. Plus, I got to learn a bunch of new sewing skills along the way.
Final Thoughts
Would I recommend trying to remake a designer bag? Maybe! It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a really fun and rewarding challenge. If you’re into sewing and have some patience, give it a shot! You might surprise yourself with what you can create.