A tech-enabled leather handbag that can power an iPhone, Android device, or other “smart” digital tool through two full charges, seamlessly integrating high-end fashion and inductive charging technology. Thanks to Tusting, a world-class British leather goods company, fashionistas can power the purse through several layers of leather by simply slapping a magnetic “tap” unit to the bag’s exterior. Once the purse is charged, users can then power their gadgets on the go by plugging them into a pocket inside the bag. A Bluetooth-enabled LED “charm” on the bag’s exterior animates silently to indicate battery status and incoming calls, texts, or notifications

British fashion designer Richard Nicoll wanted to debut a revolutionary accessory on the catwalk. Vodafone, the principal sponsor of London Fashion Week, wanted to bring in an exclusive showcase offering new tech solutions to daily needs. After announcing the new partnership with Nicoll, Vodafone UK turned to Vodafone xone in Silicon Valley to develop and deliver a revolutionary technology in partnership with our design team.

The big question: Could a collaborative team create and build a beautiful, new-to-the-world product integrating technology and fashion—in just five weeks? Starting from a blank piece of paper, Vodafone xone worked intensively in collaboration with the design team, Vodafone UK, and Nicoll’s team to design, engineer, and provide all the commercial requirements needed to produce a prototype handbag. The bag, which supported the theme “fashion and mobile phone charging,” launched at London Fashion Week in February 2012.

“Hacking” was a theme throughout the project. One of the first things the team did was rip apart an induction charger to better understand the technology and consider how it might be repurposed. After more research, the design team focused on building parallel prototypes in the discovery space between mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. Digital and industrial tools—such as Arduino, CAD modeling, 3D printing, and Photoshop—enabled designers to consider engineering aspects in tandem with aesthetic concerns throughout the project. The team quickly uncovered which options were viable in the real world by field-testing prototypes. For the LED charm alone, the team went through 3-4 iterations within one week, using 40-50 different components. These rapid aesthetic/engineering cycles allowed the team to create an elegant design solution on a tight deadline. Two weeks before London Fashion Week, it was time to build leather prototypes in collaboration with Tusting. Designers prototyped one of the bags in-person with manufacturers at a Tusting leather factory. This manufacturing collaboration allowed for new, elegant design details to emerge rapidly.

The innovative result is a tech-savvy handbag that enables users to stay conversant, connected, and online—wherever they are. As Richard Nicoll told The Telegraph, the launched design “is especially relevant for my collection this season, because it's all about the notion of work and all its facets in modern times." The design quickly went viral in the tech and fashion blogosphere as an accessory that “merges style with practicality”—and could forecast emerging design trends in a digital age. “We're hoping this tech trickles down into less exclusive bags sooner rather than later,” wrote The Verge. “A laptop case that could charge your computer on the go would be a huge boon.” The design was called “cutting-edge” by Time magazine and “revolutionary” by The Daily Telegraph upon its unveiling at London Fashion Week.