TENBA X SUE BRYCE COLLECTION

World-renowned photographer Sue Bryce approached the Tenba team with a vision to create a camera bag line embodying her philosophy that “simplicity and functionality are everything,” all while maintaining a timeless, clean design. The collection features vegan leather materials - which was a key challenge in this process - and a unique hatbox shape, available in both roller and crossbody styles.

Design Director Julie Krug and I co-designed this elegant collection, working closely with Sue throughout the entire process. I was involved in every step, from concept development to final design.

Photography by Jeff Dietz.

OBJECTIVE

Create a collection for professional women photographers, inspired by internationally acclaimed photographer Sue Bryce.

The collection should balance functionality with elegance and timeless style. Per Sue Bryce’s specifications, it must include both a hat box shoulder bag and a hat box rolling case, and all materials used must be vegan-friendly.

INITIAL MARKET RESEARCH

Through initial research, my team and I found significant opportunity for growth in the women’s camera bag market. Options were limited, and existing products were often bulky, low-quality, and didn’t provide adequate protection for camera equipment during travel.

DEEPER MARKET RESEARCH

We also drew inspiration from adjacent markets, including travel, luxury, and vintage bags. This research was essential, especially since Sue Bryce requested a camera bag in the shape of a hatbox, which presented a unique challenge. It was crucial that we understood the existing hatbox market’s specifications and features to ensure our design was both functional and accurate.

MATERIALS RESEARCH

The initial direction for materials and hardware featured a sleek, durable black nylon for the main body, complemented by brown leather accents and gold hardware for a touch of elegance. Our vision was to use high-quality materials to create an elevated, luxurious look.

INITIAL IDEATION

Preliminary ideation focused on simple, classic silhouettes with refined details. Visualizing the hatbox shape was a challenge at first, so sketching out different variations helped me begin to bring the concept to life.

CONTINUED EXPLORATION

Bringing initial concept sketches into Adobe Photoshop and refining them allowed me to further explore design details and options.

FINAL CONCEPTS

We presented these concepts to Sue Bryce, who selected the final concept to move forward with.

CHOSEN CONCEPT

Sue Bryce chose “Elegant Simplicity” as the design direction—classic silhouettes with a luxurious stitching detail down the center of each bag’s front panel. This approach blends a timeless aesthetic with functional design.

The collection includes one hatbox shoulder bag, one hatbox rolling case, two backpacks, and two tote bags, each tailored to fit either mirrorless or DSLR camera kits.

FIRST TECHNICAL PACKET

The first round of technical packets presented a unique challenge, as it was my first time creating a spec for a hatbox silhouette. It required extra attention to detail to ensure all dimensions and interior sizing for camera gear was accurate.

FIRST SAMPLE

We were pleased with how the first sample turned out. The hardware, zipper pullers, and padded interior dividers all stayed true to the original vision. Although, the hardware quality needs to be refined.

The hatbox shape was a structural challenge due to its cylindrical design and needs to be revised. The interior fabric featured a fun pop of color, inspired by the iconic Tiffany’s blue.

INITIAL CLIENT FEEDBACK

Our Design Director delivered the first sample to Sue in California, and her feedback posed a challenge—she requested the leather

accents be replaced with vegan material. Since vegan leather may not withstand the heavy use by photographers, we’ll need to

carefully source durable, high-quality fabrics.

SECOND TECHNICAL PACKET

In the second round of specs, we adjusted dimensions and applied the vegan leather after thorough fabric testing. With materials and hardware more finalized, we also added the additional collection silhouettes.

SECOND SAMPLES

The second round of samples was a success, with only minor revisions needed—mainly adjusting interior measurements to fit the proper camera gear and strengthening the skeletal construction of each bag.

CLIENT FEEDBACK

Interior fabric has a matte black finish for all bags in collection
Finalize interior measurements to suit appropriate camera gear
Refine and strengthen skeletal construction

THIRD TECHNICAL PACKET

This round of samples finalized all materials, including the client’s request to change the interior fabric color to black. We also introduced the final bag silhouette—the hatbox rolling case—after thorough research and sourcing of rolling case hardware.