Totes amaze
Once a humble way to carry shopping and groceries, the tote bag has come of age as a popular contemporary fashion item with a new exhibition.
The West Yorkshire Print Workshop in Mirfield is presenting creative highlights from the last ten years of tote bag design as part of the TOTES AMAZE! showcase opening this week.
The exhibition features international talents working in tote bag design, including Andrea Forgacs and Gemma Busquets, as well as consultancies such as Pentagram.
The tote is now seen as a way to communicate graphic messages in a stylish way to the wider public, used by as diverse a field as tourist boards to boutique fashion outlets. While designer tote bags can sell for hundreds of pounds, most can be bought for between £8-£25, and are seen as practical way to own limited edition artwork.
Patrick Murphy, exhibition co-ordinator, says, ‘Totes have a utility feel, from a time when people encountered design in a different way. They’re an interesting way of self-expression. And a bit more fun, isn’t it?’
TOTES AMAZE! runs from 9 January – 16 February at the West Yorkshire Print Worskshop, Mirfield, WF14
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Really great collection! We also started ‘Totes Amazed’ at the end of last year to showcase the amazing designs created by independent graphic designers & illustrators. If you like contemporary (and many exclusive) tote bag designs from the likes of Gemma Correll, Mini Moderns, Peskimo, Crispin Finn & more you should take a look at http://www.totesamazed.co.uk @totesamazeduk