Finger Trap handbags by James Piatt
Product news: these handbags by American designer James Piatt are carried by clamping fingers in woven tubes similar to Chinese finger trap puzzles.
The weight of the leather bags creates the pull needed to tighten the weave and secure fingers in the tubes.
Finger traps are often used as practical jokes, involving the wearer struggling to remove their digits from either end of the tube, which is usually woven from bamboo.
Both ends of the trap have to be pushed inward to relax the mesh and release the fingers. "The finger trap is often used as a metaphor for a problem that can be overcome by relaxing," says Piatt.
Piatt's small purse comes with one fastening, whereas the larger bag has three finger traps but can also be carried over the shoulder using a removable strap.
Laser-cut tabs interlock along the seams instead of stitching to create joints that look similar to the tubes.
Other handbags on Dezeen include a set made from old binocular cases and some made from folded recycled paper. See all our stories about bag design »