Custom Bag Designs

Introducing Custom Bag Designs by Anca Barbu, a line of hand-painted custom bags, allowing customers to express their individuality, putting an exciting spin on the traditional handbag. Instead of a plain purse, Anca customizes each bag to pop with color, vibrancy and excitement. She uses top quality paint to ensure each detail added lasts forever. Barbu hopes to transform the idea of wearable art and expressionism by toting the bags and going beyond the every day accessory. Each creation is strategically painted to reflect various pop art themes, ranging from rainbows and pineapples to the famous Campbell's soup can, and Anca can bring forgotten bags in the back of the closet to life again by painting trending topics onto them! Since art is ageless, the artist has managed to cover every age demographic for females.

Anca began exposing her paintings in fine art galleries around New York City and Europe before moving to Miami and starting her first business, BrushCases, followed by her recent venture, Custom Bag Designs. She uses her art knowledge and business skills to get her product in the hands of influencers and stores. No two bags are like and some designs include Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Matisse, Henri Rousseau and Vincent Van Gogh among many other masters of art.

Launched in July 2018, Anca's business is based in Miami and she been painting for 10 years. Prices vary on product, ranging from $40 for a small wallet to $500 for a large, genuine leather high-quality bag. Anca attends many popular craft markets and is a resident vendor for Wynwood Art walk and Fort Lauderdale "FAT Village" Art Walk, Carnaval on the Mile, Sunfest and Art Basel.

I had a chance to interview her to learn more.

What appeals to you about pop art?
Pop art has a certain energy where ur draws you in and makes you excited. I’ve always been a fan of the pop art masters like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol and being able to paint expressions on handbags brings a sense of excitement and livelihood that appeals to the senses. I love the use of color and words to create a certain feeling or mood. 

What gave you the idea to paint handbags and wallets?
I’ve always been an artist and a fashionista.  After starting my phone case business and being featured in galleries with my fine art I decided to paint something more exciting. Bags.  This way you can wear the artwork and let it express your feelings and mood. I follow all the big fashion brands and take inspiration from travel and modern art so I found a way to add art to fashion. Hand painted bags! 

How do you tailor your art to different age groups and interests?
My bags can be worn by women of all ages because of the diverse designs I use.  Sometimes a Van Gogh Starry Night design might appeal to a classic art lover, then a rainbow unicorn bag might appeal to the tween girl.  Sometimes different designs go for all ages like the abstract but more often popular culture designs tend to appeal more to the tweens and millennials when the fine art master pieces ten to appeal to a more cultured mature woman that can recognize the artwork from the past or famous museums and galleries. 

What advice do you have for budding artists?
I would recommend to other artists to keep working and never give up.  Being an artist is not the easiest job but with hard work and determination, rewards soon follow.  It’s best to always put yourself out there and be easily found by fans and customers. 

Anca Barbu is a Miami based pop artist, painting professionally for 10 years with a successful art business, making iPhone cases for 5 years.  Anca has now launched Custom Bag Designs, creating painted high-quality bags for various customers.  She also customizes designer and vintage bags and accessories. Anca is originally from Romania in Eastern Europe, but grew up in North Carolina and moved to Miami to start her business in a friendlier environment and climate. Anca went to business school in NYC, studying International Business and Marketing. She has procured several high-scale projects and her fine art and paintings have been featured in several galleries around the world.