The Car Liberation Front

Nothing is more démodé than the car. Automobiles are ruining our economies with rampant gas-guzzling, our environment with excess pollution, and the safety of our streets and cities with expanding car lanes and speed. In Orson Welles’ 1942 film “The Magnificent Ambersons,” which takes place in the upper-class setting of Indianapolis,  the wealthy and ambitious car tycoon Eugene is derided by the young protagonist George, who tells him “automobiles are a useless nuisance, which had no business being invented.” George, or Welles for that matter, could not have envisioned the ravages of the motor car on generations and landscapes to come. Yet, just as any technology becomes obsolete (think of Nintendo, Pong, the Record Player) it ascends to über-cool status. And such is the case for the re-hipping, and re-use of car culture as fashion accoutrements. A number of companies are mining the used car lots for inspiration, and more importantly, materials that still hold material value as well as cultural cachet.

Such is the case for a wonderful Montreal-based bag company called ‘Bagnole‘, French slang for an old (ahem, not vintage, just old) car. Isabelle Bérubé has been making bags out of beautiful re-purposed car seat leather and using the straps and buckles into the confection. Over more than five years, she has raided local car dumps to excavate some of the most exquisite leather styles and colours, which, even when re-packaged in new and modern designs, remain clearly reminiscent of 70s car interior aesthetics. Along the same lines, Harvey’s Seatbeltbags has been making a line of bags in the USA out of the oh-so-sturdy car belt since 1997. I see a future for used car parts where repurposed seat, windows and tires will find their way back into our design environments and hearts!