The Bucket Bag – A Pop Art Exploration

Beginning this process, I tried to understand the scope of the project and divide it into phases. The first, being research regarding aesthetics and materials. This was discussed in my 2nd blog post where I researched my chosen aesthetic, Pop Art, and introduced the recycled materials that I would use, eco fabric swatches. 

To reiterate, Pop Art is an aesthetic/style that emerged in the 1950s after WWII created a different socio-political atmosphere. With growing consumerism and the infiltration of mass production, advertising became a key form of artistic expression. It was the perfect opportunity to comment on this new societal environment, appearing in magazine illustration, graphic design and many other forms of commercial art.

Andy Warhol, Marilyn Diptych (1962)

Pop Art can be characterized by bold colors, textures and effective communication. It is typically a 2D form of art, but I found it to be fully applicable to tangible products like accessories and wearables. 

Looking at all the forms and shapes that accessories/wearables could take, I contemplated the type of product to make out of the recycled fabric swatches I had – this became the 2nd phase of the project. I knew it would consist of a patchwork sewing technique with the bold colors of Pop Art and the variety of interesting textures that the material already had to offer. 

Current book of fabric swatches + samples above

To begin, I focused on the idea(s) of a headband, bucket hat, and a small bag. Below are some of the inspiration photos:

 

All sourced from “Pinterest”

I did a lot of research on sewing and fabrication processes as I collected the final materials like interior lining fabric and sewing utensils – sourced from ArtParts. Since I got out of my comfort zone by experimenting with the Pop Art aesthetic, I thought I could also completely differ from what I normally wear by making a bucket hat. The complexities of the sewing required to make the bucket hat became more than what I was currently capable of. 

Moving into the 3rd phase and readjusting, I decided to make a much simpler product, keeping the same essence except actually being a product that I’d use often – This being a “bucket” bag. 

Continuing along this more feasible path, I sketched the concept and overall plan for constructing. 

The design includes the “bucket” shaped pouch, drawstring mechanism for closing/opening (which changed, but I will discuss later), and the strap of the bag for which I ideated multiple options including a crossbody, clutch, shoulder strap, bracelet strap. 

To express the Pop Art aesthetic, the exterior of the bag consists of patchwork fabrics of varying colors, textures and materials from the recycled booklet – this is the main upcycled portion. The interior of the bag will be lined with a thicker scrap gray fabric that matches the black dotted texture of the Pop Art style. In addition, this will add more rigidity and structure to the object, creating higher craft and durability. 

The construction of the bag includes the circular base, inner lining of the bag, outer “shell,” strap, and closing mechanism, which are labeled and dimensioned in the sketches above. 

Now… The fabrication phase begins!

The image above represents the early stages of assembly where I worked on the outer “shell” of the bag. This included blocking out the exterior fabric, collaging the swatches, cutting them to fit, and lastly, sewing them all together. 

Somewhat successfully, I used a cross stitch pattern on the sewing machines to attach all of the fabric swatches… which was the most time consuming portion of making the bag. There were multiple moments that the sewing machine would not sew the fabric together, resulting in a less than perfect stitch. This, however, was not something of major concern as clean lines and “perfection” was not a priority. 

Beyond patching the fabric swatches together, lining was added and the 2 “sides” of the bag were sewn together, creating the main pouch or “body” of the product. 

 

For the final parts of the main bag, the bottom layers of fabric were sewn together, creating a more structured base. This was then attached to the main body, sewn inside out for cleaner seams, and finished off the pouch assembly. This was not as time consuming, but definitely the most difficult portion because the fabrics were all quite stiff and rigid from their varying thicknesses. Staying resilient, I took the process slow and had many moments of readjustment to ensure I was sewing all of the right material. 

I want to add a special thanks to my friend, Amelie, for providing assistance in navigating the sewing machines and assembling the bag. 

Lastly, a yellow ribbon was added to the slot around the top of the bag, adding a bold pop of color and creating the bracelet style handle, and velcro was attached as a closing mechanism.

These considerations were left last as I iterated on them to see which would be best. The bracelet strap was ultimately used because of the pop of color I wanted to bring as a mimic of the bright yellow accents in Pop Art. In addition, it allows for easy access, fidgeting and no hands use of the product. The use of the velcro was mainly functional as the security of objects within the bag are a top priority. However, the choice of velcro over other closing mechanisms was purely a stylistic choice in representing the Pop Art aesthetic. The incorporation of the satisfying “crackle” sound when opening the bag is exemplary of the comic book style of Pop Art that uses lots of sounds or onomatopoeias to express action. 

With this, the final product exists…

These product photos, along with more, were taken in a photo studio to have a very final quality feel. To further the implications and style of the bag, I also made a Pop Art comic style poster to, in a sense, advertise the bag. 

This can be seen below:

I would like to give a special thanks to my friend, Kaira, for modeling the bag.

I wanted to close out this product report with a product poster and discussion of successes. 

Within the functionality, I tested it out one night with items in it, and it worked very well! The seams held together and the size was just right. Moving forward, I would add a clasp to the bracelet strap to ensure it stays on the wrist. 

I have used the poster to further represent the Pop Art aesthetic. In my opinion, it is the selling point of the product – similar to how Pop Art was common in advertising. I made the poster in Adobe Illustrator, referencing 1950s comic book pages and advertising posters to construct the layout and general style. 

Overall, I am very satisfied with the final product and poster that I have paired with it. Even with challenges and successes, trusting the design process paid off with the final product. I see myself continuing to use it in the future. 

 

 

Sources:

Wolf, Justin. “Pop Art Movement Overview and Analysis.” The Art Story, 2012. https://www.theartstory.org/movement/pop-art/.

Pinterest. “Pinterest.” https://www.pinterest.com/.

The Artist Editorial. “Who’s Andy Warhol? 7 Famous Andy Warhol Artworks.” The Artist, 2024.

https://www.theartist.me/art-inspiration/famous-andy-warhol-paintings/#5_Marlin_Diptych.

Winstead, Mia. “Wearable Pop Art – Modern Fashion Meets Bold Aesthetic.” aesdes, 2025.

https://www.aesdes.org/2025/01/27/wearable-pop-art-modern-fashion-meets-bold-aesthetic/.

Winstead, Mia. “Pop Art ‘Bucket’ Bag.” aesdes, 2025. https://www.aesdes.org/2025/02/05/pop-art-bucket-bag/.

Winstead, Mia. “Neoclassicism vs Pop Art.” aesdes, 2025. https://www.aesdes.org/2025/02/12/neoclassicism-vs-pop-art/.