origami bag

Plenty of women have struggled with the problem of having a closet full of purses and not enough space for all of them. Getting a bigger closet would be cool, but hey, that’s not always an option.

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Designer Yingxi Zhou has come up with a lovely solution to that vexing problem: a line of clutches and handbags that fold up origami-style for storage. You don’t often see the ancient art of origami applied to wearables in a way that’s actually functional as well as beautiful, so Zhou’s collection is a rare treat.

origami bag unfolded

The Facet line consists of five different shapes and sizes of transforming origami bags. Each is of a different size and shape to fit nearly any stuff-toting need. When they aren’t in use, they each fold in unique ways to greatly reduce their size. Check them out in action in the video below.

Made of maple veneers, the bags are convenient to ship and store when flat. When they are opened, they become stylish, angular containers. But if you’re anything like us, you might want to keep them empty just so you can fiddle with them in public. They’re a real conversation piece, and a great way to distract yourself on the bus.

Origami green clutch
origami green clutch side

The bags have a stylish minimalism and graphic boldness, with interesting silhouettes. There are multiple angles of coolness here: the fashion conscious geometric look they take on when they’re fully expanded for use, the extent to which they can be flattened for storage and the mechanisms by which they transform.

Origami bag flat

Although no purchase information is available on the designer’s website, these fashion accessories would be sure to do well with anyone who has limited storage space but an unquenchable desire for handbags. Would you carry one of these clever and fun transforming origami bags?

origami bag triangle