Céline's daddy's jacket N° : SM-086

I met Céline at the end of 2024 at a Christmas market I was selling at, and she was drawn to my concept. In early 2025, she reached out to tell me about her dad’s leather jacket...

I met Céline at the end of 2024 at a Christmas market I was selling at, and she was drawn to my concept. In early 2025, she reached out to tell me about her dad’s leather jacket...

She wanted to turn it into a bag she could use every day, so we looked for a simple yet functional design that would fit both her budget and timeline.
We landed on the “Bourgeon” crossbody bag, simplified to highlight the signature shoulder pleats of the jacket, while preserving as many original features as possible.

I suggested using the jacket’s elasticated waist band as the shoulder strap, extended with chunky chain links if needed. Then, inspired, I repurposed the sleeve tabs to create a small hand strap. When paired with one or both chain extensions, the bag can be worn at the hip, crossbody or over the shoulder.
Lastly, the original zipper is used to close the bag, and inside, I reused the patch pockets from the lining.

The result: a super rock’n’roll piece I secretly nicknamed “Patriiiiiiick,” which won her over with its format, its style, and its versatility.
Thank you for trusting me – especially with the direction of those pleats... ;)
Reading her review brings tears to my eyes, it's the incarnation of why I do what I do.

Voici la traduction de ton témoignage en anglais : This blue leather jacket, so loved by my dear dad... impossible to give away, throw away, and unfortunately, impossible to wear. Then I met Marie Alhomme... who gave me the chance to keep it close to me, to adore it, admire it, and wear it with so much joy. A beautiful love story between this bag and me, now I can't part with it! It's like having my dad close to me!

--- Tu veux que je continue avec un autre ?

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Marine was one of my first customers. She asked me for two backpacks, one for her daughter and one for herself, using babywearing wrap scraps she entrusted to me.

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Élodie's babywearing wrap scrap

Élodie is a loyal customer who had fallen in love with the Croisette model (she has good taste!) and had a wonderful offcut in mind for its creation.

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Marion's favorite

At the end of 2023, I offered to make Marion a custom piece using a fabric she had admired in my shop to thank her for graciously allowing me to test her coaching services. A piece that fits her like a glove and perfectly embodies her style and personality.

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Cécile's dress

Cécile wanted to pay tribute to a dress she had already transformed into a skirt by using the remaining fabric scraps to create a mother-daughter duo of small wallets.

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Browse the designs I have my idea All your stories

Want to tell your story too?

Did one of these stories inspire you, and do you feel ready to write your own? Book a free phone or video call (on Zoom) to tell me about your fabric, budget, schedule, and ideas.

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Photo of Marie Alhomme

Common questions

Can I transform the clothes of a loved one who has passed away, as part of grieving?

Yes, and these are among the most deeply moving projects I get to work on.

Your father's jacket, your grandmother's coat, the jumper you can't bring yourself to give away because it still smells a little like her... These fabrics carry something irreplaceable. Transforming them into an everyday object means giving them life again without erasing them, and for many people, this is part of the grieving process itself: the memory is no longer folded away in a drawer, it's worn, or displayed.

I approach these projects with particular care: we take time to talk about the person, the story behind the fabric, what you want to preserve and how. The finished piece isn't just a bag: it's an object that continues to bear witness.

And if several family members each want a keepsake made from the same garment? That's possible too. One piece of fabric can give birth to several different pieces, for several different people. We look at what the material can offer, together, without wasting any of it.

Is there a right time to start, or can I take as long as I need?

There's no good or bad time, only your own.

For a babywearing wrap, it can be transformed as soon as babywearing ends, or much later, once you've missed it enough to want to see it in a new form. For a loved one's clothing, there's no rush either: some people contact me a few weeks after a bereavement, others several years later. Take whatever time you need, I'll be here when you're ready.

Can I follow the making of my piece as it happens?

You get to choose, and it's a genuine decision to make at the start of the project.

Full updates with photos: I send you photos and sometimes videos at each key stage: cutting, assembly, finishing. You see your fabric come to life step by step. Some people love this. Others find it only makes the waiting harder!

Total surprise: I work away quietly, you see nothing until you open the parcel. For those who want the sense of wonder to be fully intact, right through to the last moment.

Something in between works too: a message after the cutting stage, a photo mid-way, then the surprise finale.

Whatever you choose, one thing I promise: if something along the way needs your input (a motif placement decision, an unexpected colour choice), I'll reach out. You will never be faced with a fait accompli on anything that matters.

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