The bag I almost didn't make
There's a photo that had been pinned above my workbench for longer than I'd like to admit. I found it on Pinterest, printed it out, and stuck it up where I'd see it every day. I loved the shape of it. But it wasn't mine—not yet.
For months it just waited. Orders kept coming in, and every spare hour went into finishing bags for customers, not testing new ones. That's the truth of running a one-woman workshop: the ideas queue up behind the invoices.
A Hard Season, and a Saturday That Changed Things
Late July 2025 marked three years since I left everything else behind to make leather bags full-time. It should have been a milestone worth celebrating. Instead, that same week, I lost Cyrus—my cat of fifteen years and workshop companion, who'd curled up on boxes and dozed through the hum of my sewing machine for as long as I'd had the business.
Grief doesn't pause for production schedules. I needed somewhere to put it that wasn't a to-do list. So one Saturday, with no order to fill and no plan beyond "make something," I went down to the workshop, looked at that photo on the wall, and started cutting.
One Saturday, One Design That Just Worked
I worked out the dimensions on the spot—no pattern, no trial pieces, just instinct built from years of cutting leather. And it worked. First attempt, no glitches, no do-overs. The little crossbody came together clean.
I loved it. But I also doubted it—it felt too personal, too far from what I thought belonged in a Smithco portfolio. So I set it aside.
Why I Call It the Arc
The name comes from the shape itself: a compact, structured crescent—an arc—rather than a straight-edged silhouette. It's a small design decision, but it's the reason the bag sits so close and comfortable against the body, and why it looks a little different to every other crossbody on the shelf.
From the Workshop to "We Absolutely Love It"
About a week after making it, I filmed a short video of the bag and sent it to one of my stockists—mostly just to share, not to sell. The reply came back almost immediately: "We absolutely love it!"
That was enough. I posted the same video on Instagram and started making the Arc Mini in a handful of colours. The response caught me off guard—orders came in fast, and I made up stock for my stockist within days. We haven't looked back since. Every time I pop into that store, it's the same line: "The Arc is just flying out the door."
Full Grain Leather, Built for Every Day
The Arc Mini launched publicly on Instagram on 15 August 2025, and it's been a fixture in the Smithco lineup ever since. What you're getting:
- Full grain leather—the good stuff, the kind that ages rather than wears out
- Light suede lining
- Two-way YKK zip closure with leather pullers for easy access
- Flat external zipped pocket—perfect for a card or a parking ticket you don't want to dig for
- Adjustable crossbody leather strap
- Compact crescent shape—16cm wide x 7cm deep x 20cm high, lightweight but structured
- Handmade to order in Cape Town, ready in 5–7 working days
It comes in 10 colourways at R1,550. Shop the Arc here.
A Fan Favourite—and a Little Piece of Cyrus
What started as something I made for myself, to get through a hard week, has become one of the most-loved bags in the Smithco range. I have several clients who own it in different colours. My stockist can't keep it on the shelf.
It still means something different to me than the rest of the range. Every Arc Mini I make reminds me of Cyrus, who kept me company through years of workshop hours—and who, in his own way, was there for this one too.
Some of the best designs don't come from a brief or a trend report. They come from a photo on a wall, a hard week, and a Saturday with nothing to lose. The Arc Mini is proof that the most personal pieces often end up mattering most to other people too.
Shop the Arc Mini crossbody in all ten colourways, or sign up to the Smithco newsletter for the next story from the workshop.
Lara
Founder—Keeper of the Croft
