stories3

Heavy Distressed Post Bag for the Salvage Hunter

Aly Bond, Creative Director of Memory Bags has just popped in with a fantastic gift. Thanks Aly for my beautiful hand made bespoke messenger bag, I love it! And if you folks out there want to have a look for a new bag check out Alys website.

Drew Pritchard Architectural Antiques
Conway

 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Dark Blue

Joe- Upright Messenger from old Blue leather Jacket

Dear Aly,

How lovely to come into work this morning to find your package on my desk. You’ve done an amazing job, creating something that’s both hugely practical but also attractive and very cleverly put together. I love the way you’ve used the pockets (both of Mum’s jacket and Alan’s shirt). What’s incredible is how well it works as a bag – ie if I didn’t know the history of it I’d just think it was a beautiful bag. I’m not sure if I’m explaining what I mean properly but I hope you’ll understand.

I’ve already transferred everything from the bag I came in with this morning – and now I can actually find things rather than rummaging around in a void!!

This has been such a lovely experience – right from talking to you at Spitalfields to having the bag with me now. It really is strange how sometimes things genuinely do happen for a reason. I can’t begin to thank you enough.

With very best wishes

Yours

Jo B
Surrey

 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
stories

Two 1960’s Mini Skirt get need life as Hobos

Aly created two beautiful bags for my sister and I from two vintage mini skirts of our Mums. She also lined them with a 60s dress that had also belonged to Mum. Having lost our mum 4.5 years ago these bags are particularly special and we know Mum would have thoroughly approved. Aly was fantastic creating exactly the bag we wanted and checking in with us at each stage of the design. A truly special and unique bag which will always be treasured.
Love
Zoë
Stafford
 
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

stories.10

Messenger with Pret-a-Porter Waistcoat Lining

I take after my mum, tons of clothes. I would periodically help her go through her wardrobe doing the usual Keep, Charity, Chuck, have you worn it in the last 6 months. When we came to her Pret-a Porter floral waistcoat she hadn’t worn in years she would never throw it out, saying “It’ll come back into fashion one day”. I would return it to the wardrobe with a heavy sigh until the next clear out a few years later.

So when I was sorting through my mums clothes one day shortly after she had left us I smiled as I came to this little waistcoat and hadn’t the heart to part with it. For the last few years it has taken residence in my wardrobe. I hardly ever saw it under the heavy weight of all my clothes until my good friend Aly told me about her new venture bespoke “Memory Bags”.

I now see it every day as I look into my bag and I can hear my mum shouting “Told you it would come back into fashion”

Thank you Aly xx

Michaela H
North Wales

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
stories.7stories.9

Upright Messenger from Gap Jacket & Silk Skirt

School Bag lined with Cath Kidston Dress

Thank you so much Aly for our bags we love them! Aly has made a beautiful bag for my daughter made out of my late mothers leather jacket and lined with her Cath Kidston dress! Which I would never of parted with and would probably just been packed away ! Aly has kept all the detail of the dress including the buttons. The bespoke bag is beautiful and also my bag which also was my mothers leather jacket and had lined with her skirt is gorgeous! I love it thank you so much you have done an amazing job and we are both very pleased and will keep these forever! Xxx

Sam & Molly
Stafford

  – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

bag

Recycled Leather Upright Messenger Bag

My dad’s name was Brian and I was always his little girl. He was the strongest, kindest man I have ever known.  He helped me through the loss of my mum 12 years ago and we had a bond only a dad and his daughter would understand. He passed away in June 2012 and I miss him every day. I heard about Aly Bond and how she was recycling old leather jackets into handbags and lining them with men’s shirts.  I had kept one of my dad’s favourite shirts and asked Aly if the bespoke bag I ordered could be lined with it. Aly is a very talented and compassionate person and she made me a beautiful bag perfectly lined with my dad’s favourite shirt.  It makes me smile when I open my bespoke bag and see his shirt there and I love the fact that my mobile phone sits perfectly in his shirt top pocket, but most of all I love it because it reminds me of my best friend, my hero, my dad. Thanks a million Aly.

Jane F
Stafford

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

stories

Large Recycled Harrods Hobo

Hiya Aly ! Thank u sooooo much !! It’s perfecto ! U r so clever – such a very unique & special idea & talent. Absolutely LOVE it & will leave feedback ASAP. Definately fate re Harrods coat – couldn’t have asked for something better. Thank u once again & keep in touch Oh it’s sooooo fabulous – honestly over the moon with it. Just in the car now swapping me stuff over cause want to use it ASAP. Thank u once again for the offer of the Harrods Coat. Will defo sort out feedback & have already mentioned u & yr idea cause sooooo excited at work so u never know. They will all see it on Monday morning ! Wish u all the very best re business. Enjoy

Tracey S
Stoke on Trent

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

stories

Large Messenger/Laptop Bag

Thank you Aly… You agreed and let me actually buy your very first made messenger that you obviously loved and I am so grateful for you for changing the hardware for me too. I promise I will look after it as you did. Love Ness x

Ness Tomes

Staffordshire

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Recycled Leather Cross Body Bag

Recycled Leather Cross Body Bag

Hi Ally I hope that you don’t mind my texting you. I just wanted to tell you that I showed my mum the memory bag – made from her red leather coat – she totally loved it (so did my dad – bizarrely). I wear / use it a lot and always get a comment. Thank you.

Jan G
Creswell

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Recycled Leather Chocolate Chunk Bag Hobo

Recycled Leather Chocolate Chunk Bag Prada Insipred

“I have known Alyson for at least 18 years…..maybe a bit longer but even when you have known someone that long…..they can still surprise you! I heard through a friend of a friend that Aly had set up a business turning a vintage leather jacket into one-off designer bespoke bag. Whatever shape, design or colour that might take your fancy. I thought…….genius idea!  I sadly didnt have an old jacket…..so I described to Aly the colour I was after and she sourced a beautiful old jacket…..I described the size and shape I was after. And then….I gave her artistic licence. What she delivered to me was a bag I adore. A bag that is comfortable. And a bag I know no one else has or could have. Completely unique. And I love love love it! …… that’s the story of my beautiful bag. Xxx

Julie V
Hayward

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Recycled Leather Slouch Hobo in Red

Recycled Leather Slouch Hobo in Red

Oooh, Aly! It is beautiful! I love this bag – and the sweet wee purse inside! You are one clever lady. The colour is perfect! The details are amazing! (And having the photo of the coat that donated the leather and lining is such a cool piece of providence!). Thank you so much for putting up with all my questions about the bag, but a woman’s new red bag is an extremely important purchase, and this tote is FANTASTIC. I’m thrilled – not only because no one else in the entire world has one (even remotely) the same. I am changing my entire outfit today so that I can really work this bag! Can’t thank you enough, Aly! To prospective customers; Aly is a superstar bag maker! You will not be disappointed with your purchase from AlyBond! Thanks again!

Elizabeth
Victoria, Australia

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Recycled Leather Shopping Tote

Recycled Leather Shopping Tote

Its really a perfect size! Its just a great bag, looks good, feels really well constructed, and it is already feeling like an extension of me – if you know what I mean! 😉

Aiko Okusawa
Japan

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

stories

Big Slouchy Hobo from Outdated Studded Bomber Jacket

Dear Aly, I can’t thank you enough for my new hobo bespoke bag, I was thrilled to received it through the post and barely recognised is as my old 80’s bomber, what a delight it is to use it and keep all the memories with me of my mis spent youth around the bars in Leeds, I’m so glad I hung on to it all these years and was able to find you to do this for me. Thanks again, can’t wait for my next one.

Dot
Clapham

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Large Laptop Messenger with iPad Pocket and Secret Inside

Large Laptop Messenger with iPad Pocket and Secret Inside

Strolling past a popup shop some months ago I was attracted inside by a display of beautiful, one-off leather bags. One in particular caught my eye. It wasn’t for sale! In fact the entire display was a showcase of Aly Bond’s work. How strangely refreshing this was. I could look, touch, talk about the bags to their designer but I couldn’t buy. It made me want to know more. I coveted one bag in particular. Displayed alongside it was a letter from its owner. This bag was so much more than a leather bag: it represented a very personal relationship between its owner and her late father. The letter explained what the bag meant to its proud owner so eloquently that I was moved to tears. I had just lost my mother; a year and a day after my father had died. When my mother had asked me to take my father’s clothes to a charity shop, I’d asked to keep his Crombie coat. I knew it would just sit at the back of the wardrobe but I just couldn’t bear to part with it. My mother had let me keep it of course but now here was an opportunity to make something useful from his coat that I could ‘wear’ whenever I wanted to. I could carry a piece of my darling dad with me every day. Aly made me a brown leather satchel bag lined with some of the material and finished off with some of the buttons from that coat. My mobile even sits in one of the coat’s sleeves. The bag was made even more unique by combining my son’s old shirts with my father’s coat fabric to make the lining and to link grandfather and his only grandson in a practical yet oh so special way. I love it, friends and family love it and I will cherish it always. Thanks Aly!

Tracy S
Colton

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

stories

iPad Cross Body from Retro 1960’s Coat

I would l like to say how thrilled I am with the gorgeous bespoke bag I purchased from Aly a few months back – it’s a beautiful red, brown and cream leather slim gorgeous thing with a denim liner! I love the bag and use it almost every day. Aly very cleverly used the back pockets of the denim jeans to provide good sized storage in the bag’s interior! Genius! All Aly’s designs are one-off’s and her workmanship is superb! I won’t hesitate to buy from Aly again, and have recommended her to many of my friends. I look forward to looking round her latest little numbers and ‘bagging’ myself another beauty! Well done Aly, and continue producing these lovely pieces! Please!

Jacqui F
Tixall

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –