Yiayia

Yiayia is a transformable handbag designed to adapt to different carrying styles and visual expressions, while reinterpreting traditional textile craft through contemporary digital fabrication. The project is inspired by an original Cretan embroidery created by the designer’s grandmother, which became the conceptual and visual foundation of the bag.

The embroidery motif was digitized and translated into a flexible, modular 3D printed surface using TPU. This material was selected for its balance between durability, elasticity and lightweight performance, allowing the bag to fold, expand and reshape without compromising structural integrity. Through a system of precisely positioned metal rings, the surface can be assembled into four distinct configurations, enabling the handbag to transform in form, volume and visual rhythm depending on use or styling.

Rather than functioning as a decorative reference, the embroidery pattern operates as a structural and functional element of the bag. The digital pattern defines flexibility points, load distribution and folding logic, transforming a traditional craft language into a contemporary product system. This approach allows the handbag to serve multiple purposes within a single object, reducing the need for multiple accessories while extending its functional lifespan.

The design process combined cultural research, parametric pattern development and additive manufacturing, exploring how personal heritage can be preserved and reactivated through modern design tools. Digital fabrication enables precision, repeatability and customization, while maintaining a strong emotional connection to the original handmade source.

Yiayia balances cultural storytelling with everyday usability, offering a versatile handbag that responds to contemporary lifestyles. By merging heritage, technology and adaptability, the project proposes a new way of translating intangible cultural memory into functional, wearable design.