The Book Bag Prototype
︎ Book & Garment
︎ Produced at Harvard GSD under the supervision of Irma Boom, Rem Koolhaas, and Phillip Denny
︎ Fall 2023
︎ Produced at Harvard GSD under the supervision of Irma Boom, Rem Koolhaas, and Phillip Denny
︎ Fall 2023
Girdle books, a popular accessory to medieval costume, were small portable books worn by women, European monks, clergymen, and aristocratic nobles. They had leather covers that fit loosely around the book and extended beyond the bottom of the book, to act as a handle. These were usually made for a religious book of daily ritual reading. Although they were made for practicality, they became a popular accessory for men and women. I was interested in the practicality and costuming element of the girdle book— and the idea of the book as an extension of garment.
The book bag reimagines the medieval girdle book in a contemporary context.