Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Published By on a press day in London. The brand was established back in 2019, and has since been worn by celebrities like Beyonce, SZA, Ellie Goulding, and many others.
What grabbed my attention was not just the unusual shape and look of their bags, but their unique design and manufacturing which I was told by the brand was actually done by car manufacturers. This creates an interesting clash of artificial and organic, since the actual shape of the bag represents rocks and natural elements found in nature, but those are now produced using programs borrowed from the automotive industry.
Further the brand tells us that they use a digital-first approach which allows them to be more sustainable and inclusive, while pushing the boundaries of traditional accessory design. Published By explained - every design is born in a digital environment using state of the art high-end CAD-manufacturing programs borrowed from the automotive industry. The products are then brought to life virtually, using advanced CGI technologies more commonly found in Hollywood to create hyper-realistic renders.
Using a demand-based, democratic model, buyers and consumers are shown a range of products during the design phase and only the most sought-after products are produced - cutting down on both wasted samples and overproduction. Using recycled car parts to create the core of the bags, we then work with several institutes to blend new materials to create unique surfaces.
During Paris Fashion Week, the brand unveiled their Spring/Summer electrifying collection inspired by the rave culture of the early 2000s. The collection pays homage to the roots of electronic music and draws inspiration from a personal connection to the era. It includes the x-ray bag crafted from cutting-edge heat reactive materials.
When I visited, their team pulled out an interesting black metallic piece, and held it over a candle, within seconds the bag started changing colour into white.
Christoph's Bio:
Christoph started his career training formally and working as a carpenter, where he developed his deep appreciation for craftsmanship. After switching to the fashion sector, Christoph had the opportunity to work in the design departments of H&M and Alexander McQueen – learning about both ends of the design spectrum. Christoph’s connections to the Automotive Sector started to drive a sense of curiosity to rethink the way fashion products are designed and produced. On a trip to Greece to reconnect with his roots Here, Christoph was deeply inspired by the landscape and organic shapes, which ended up being the final catalyst to channel his background, curiosity and aesthetics into Published By.
Ruby's Bio:
After starting her career in finance, Ruby worked in strategy and production consulting in the Automotive Industry, for clients such as Jaguar Land Rover. Following this, Ruby worked as a Senior Innovation Consultant advising top-tier international corporates such as Airbus on their innovation strategies. Ruby joined Published By to bring her background in innovation and production optimization to the fashion sector through her role as Commercial Director.
