The idea to design a limited edition tote bag that felt like a natural extension of the Lucy story was born, and Rob Miles, Marketing Executive at Boss Design, took on the role of project lead. We hear from Rob how he took the tote from concept to cutting table…
What was the brief?
The brief was to create a tote that felt authentically connected to Lucy, not just through colour or material, but through its form, details, and overall character. It needed to feel recognisably part of the Boss Design world, while also offering something new and unexpected.
The aim was to design a bag that carried subtle references to the Lucy chair, particularly its distinctive patterning, structure, and detailing. It had to feel considered, functional, and beautifully made, while still having its own identity as a product.
Another important part of the brief was the fabric. Through our collaboration with Kvadrat, we were able to use Mylla, which is the same and only fabric that the Lucy chair is available in. That felt really important because it created a direct connection between the tote and the chair. Mylla is also a really nice fabric to work with, and it helps tell a richer story around materiality, craft, and continuity between the two pieces.
How did the project evolve in terms of R&D and collaboration?
The process was a really exciting one. It gave me the opportunity to work closely with our furniture and interior designers, developers, machinists, and sewers, and it quickly became a genuinely joint creative effort. Each person brought a different perspective, whether that was around design, construction, materials, or making the product practical and durable.
I also worked closely with Charlotte, our trainee developer, and this was her first project. It was lovely to be able to share the development process with her and work together through the different stages, from early ideas and sampling through to problem-solving and refinement. Her involvement brought a fresh perspective to the project, and it added another meaningful layer to the collaboration.
The collaboration with Kvadrat also became an important part of the story. Using Mylla gave the tote a strong connection to Lucy from the very beginning, because it is the same fabric used on the chair. It was lovely to work with as a material, and it brought another layer of meaning to the project, allowing the tote to feel like a true extension of the collection rather than a separate accessory.
Once we decided to replicate the shape of one of the sections from the Lucy chair’s back pattern, the rest of the design started to develop quite naturally. From there, we explored fabric colours, contrast linings, stitch details, and ways to create a handle that echoed the feeling of the chair itself.
Were there any particular areas of focus?
One of the key areas of experimentation was the handle. We wanted it to reflect the underside of the Lucy chair, which is held together by a single piece of bungee cord and a clamp. We trialled bungee cord and rope, trying to capture that same look and feel. The bungee gave us the right visual reference, but it did not quite work as a handle. It was too elastic and turned one of our first prototypes into something that felt more like a Lucy yo-yo.
After a lot of trial and error, we moved to a rope cord, specifically the type used for horse reins. That gave us the look and feel we wanted, but with the strength and durability the handle needed. Once we added the contrasting lining colours, the bags really started to come together and feel like a true companion to the Lucy chair.
Is this the first new product project you’ve led? If so, how did you find the experience, and what were the challenges and highlights?
This was not the first new product project I had led, as I had previously worked on our Everyday, multi-purpose Renew bags as part of Loop here at Boss Design. Thanks to that experience, I felt more comfortable and confident taking on the Lucy tote.
That said, developing a product linked to such a prestigious and considered furniture collection definitely brought its own pressure. Lucy has such a strong design identity, so the first challenge was deciding how the bag should look and feel. It needed to sit comfortably within the brand and reflect the chair, but it also needed to feel different, fresh, and purposeful in its own right.
Now that we’ve unveiled both Lucy and the Lucy tote, how closely do you feel the latter has fulfilled its brief?
I feel the Lucy tote has fulfilled the brief really well. It captures the essence of the chair without feeling like a direct copy. The shape, handle, stitching, fabric choice, and lining all carry references to Lucy, but in a way that feels subtle and functional.
Using Mylla by Kvadrat really strengthens that connection; because it is the same fabric as the Lucy chair, the tote feels tied to the collection in a meaningful and considered way. For me, it feels like a thoughtful extension of Lucy, celebrating the design details and material story that make the chair distinctive, while also standing alone as a useful, beautifully crafted product.
