BE OPEN BLOG

Food is no longer just about consumption—it’s about presentation, portability, and personal expression. Across the globe, designers are reimagining how we carry what we eat, turning everyday tasks like picking up bread or packing for a picnic into opportunities for creative, functional design. Blending tradition, humor, and cultural commentary, these food carriers do more than serve a purpose—they make a statement.

For anyone acquainted with the uniquely Parisian challenge of cycling home with a fresh baguette—only to find it bent, broken, or awkwardly flailing—Scottish-born, Paris-based designer Neil Poulton offers a clever solution. His design, wittily named Bag-ette, addresses this very French predicament with practicality, elegance, and a hint of humor.

At its core, Bag-ette is a minimal yet thoughtful invention: a durable paper sac paired with a carabiner clip, allowing the baguette to be securely fastened to a belt loop or slung over the shoulder. A sort of minimalist holster for your daily bread, it blends utilitarian function with Parisian charm. Lightweight and slightly eccentric, it’s the kind of object that might prompt a knowing smile—or even a spontaneous sidewalk conversation.

Commissioned by Italian kitchenware brand Guzzini as part of its foodesign guzzini initiative, Bag-ette was developed for an exhibition that invited 30 designers in France to reinterpret food culture through a contemporary lens.

Known for his playful approach to form and function, Swedish designer Gustaf Westman transforms the humble baguette carrier into a high-concept fashion accessory. Presented during his Paris pop-up, Westman’s Spiral Baguette Holder is a sculptural object in his signature bubblegum pink—more akin to an avant-garde handbag than a utilitarian grocery item.

Handcrafted by independent makers, the design cradles the baguette within three concentric coils, marrying surrealist aesthetics with a sense of fun. More than a carrier, it’s an Instagram-ready conversation piece that invites delight and double takes.

In Japan, heritage leather brand Tsuchiya Kaban—renowned since 1965 for its craftsmanship—has introduced a summer accessory that is as poetic as it is unexpected: the Watermelon Bag. Designed by artisan Yusuke Kadoi, this elegant leather creation is engineered specifically to carry a whole watermelon.

Part of the brand’s Fun of Carrying initiative, the bag exemplifies both technical precision and conceptual whimsy. Its base is constructed from layered leather panels that flex and expand to accommodate melons of various sizes. Every twist and curve reveals the mastery of the material—combining durability with softness, utility with artistry.

Far from a novelty item, the Watermelon Bag elevates a niche use case into an exquisite statement of intent. It suggests that beauty, joy, and meticulous design can be found even in the most unexpected objects.

While Poulton brings wit, Westman adds whimsy, and Tsuchiya Kaban offers refined craft, New York-based designers Nik Bentel and Kortney Hinden bring pure exuberance with their I <3 NY Picnic Collection. This limited-edition collaboration transforms iconic New York street foods into surrealist fashion objects: a pizza-slice handbag, a hot dog clutch, and a giant picnic blanket styled after the classic “I <3 NY” t-shirt.

The collection is an irreverent tribute to summer in the city, blurring the boundaries between accessory, art, and performance. Playful and exaggerated, each piece plays with scale and material, challenging preconceptions of what a “bag” can be. A slice of pizza becomes a purse; a hot dog, a clutch. The designers cite surrealist influences, notably Meret Oppenheim, using food as both subject and medium.

Produced in a limited run of just 20 units per item, the collection carries a sense of exclusivity and cult appeal. But its deeper significance lies in its commentary—on urban rituals, public identity, and the joy of design that doesn’t take itself too seriously. In short, it’s New York in accessory form: bold, humorous, and unapologetically expressive.