Founded in San Francisco in 1989, Timbuk2 is the original messenger bag company and one of the first to kick off the customisation trend that seems to be spreading like wildfire nowadays. With retail stores only in their hometown and Seattle thus far, the American brand arrived on our shores in the form of a tiny space in Bugis Junction at the end of October last year – their first in-store customisation experience outside the US. Rows of bags in all colours and designs line the two adjacent walls, with accessories displayed on a glass table; but the most notable feature of the store is its interactive custom station, featuring a glossy touch screen computer where you can design your bag in a few simple steps.
Not sure what the fabrics feel like? They’ve got sample swatches on their ‘custom wall’ that you can check out for inspiration when building your creation. All you have to do is choose the type and size of bag you want, play around with the colours and patterns inside and out, then add extra details and functional elements. And just like that – in less than two weeks, you’ll be carrying a new, one-of-a kind piece of cool arm candy.