A huge hit with over 1,500 units sold! The story behind the creation of this leather shoulder bag, created with the utmost care by a designer.
January 2025 HushTug Editorial Department
This shoulder bag is perfect for everyday use. It leaves both hands free and has excellent storage capacity.
Did you know that a shoulder bag made by a certain leather brand is currently selling at an incredible speed?
Once again, my name is Nakajima and I am a designer at the leather brand HushTug.
In fact, the leather shoulder bag we released last summer has received a much better response than we expected.
Just a few months after its initial release,
-An incredible rush of orders immediately after sales began!
・A total of approximately 1,500 units have been sold (from launch to January 2025).
-Ranked first in cumulative sales for the second half of 2024.
It has received many positive reviews, with an average review rating of 4.5/5.0 (as of January 2025).
If you only heard about these achievements, you might think, "Oh, I'm just bragging."
But no, this is not just a boast.
Because this leather shoulder bag
"This bag was created with sincerity and passion by me, the designer Nakajima, and is something I truly believe is cool."
That's why.
-How did the wildly popular leather shoulder bag come about?
-What makes it different from other shoulder bags?
Here I will tell you the story behind how the HushTug shoulder bag was born.
It all started with a casual comment from one of our customers...
Moment of Decision: A Challenge Born from Customer Feedback
I usually work as a customer service representative at the Ikebukuro store.
One day, we received the following comment from a customer.
"Don't you have a shoulder bag?"
That one word took me by surprise.
At that moment, I thought.
"If I don't respond to this kind of feedback, I'm not fit to be a designer."
Actually, I myself have been wanting a "cool shoulder bag" that I can use on a daily basis.
So we immediately started planning and conducted thorough market research, which led to a discovery.
There aren't many simple shoulder bags!
During our research, we discovered some surprising characteristics of the shoulder bag market.
The problem is that many bags are "overly decorated."
for example,
・Large logos and flashy colors ・Excessive pockets and zippers
Designs that featured this characteristic stood out, and many of them gave the impression of being ``too assertive.''
On the other hand, there are also many bags with a shape typified by the classic messenger bag, which, while functional in its own way, seems somewhat out of place with the sophisticated style of today .
"Where can I find a shoulder bag that strikes the right balance between style and practicality?"
The answer remains unknown.
That's why we at HushTug knew it was time to create a bag that would fill that gap.
The first sample turned out great!
"Combining style and practicality" - we proceeded with development with this conviction in mind.
For the first prototype, the first sample, I tried to create a shoulder bag that was exactly what I envisioned.
Here is the completed sample
- Attach a flap to protect the inside of the bag.
-Interior pockets have also been improved.
From the first sample, I felt that we had created something that was perfect in terms of design and functionality.
My expectations are rising, thinking, "This is going to make an amazing shoulder bag."
"Huh? Isn't this kind of lame?" Harsh feedback
Having completed the first sample, I went to the company's planning meeting in high spirits.
However, what awaited me there was a barrage of unexpectedly harsh feedback.
"It's kind of... lame."
"Doesn't he look like an old man?"
I was shocked by his honest opinion.
Of course, feedback is essential in product development, but we never expected to receive such negative feedback.
What was particularly frustrating was that it wasn't clear exactly what the problem was.
"How can I improve it?"
Is our design direction wrong?
These questions kept popping up in my mind, and I began to lose confidence in how to proceed with the project.
I remember feeling doubts about the efforts I had made up to that point and stopping many times.
Continuing the challenge: A second sample with further improvements
The harsh feedback gave me pause, but I didn't give up.
"How can we combine sophisticated design with practicality?" I continued to ask myself this question as I made improvements.
Feedback from customers and YouTube viewers was key in this process.
▼YouTube video introducing samples from that time▼
In order to refine the design based on honest feedback from our customers,
- The flap has been removed for smoother opening and closing - The overall design is more compact, giving it a cleaner look - An internal pocket has been added to ensure practicality, allowing for a wallet or tablet to fit inside
And we continued to make improvements.
Here is the completed sample
Then, when we brought it up for another planning meeting, the situation changed completely.
In stark contrast to previous experiences, employees responded positively one after another.
"This is cool!"
"It's so stylish!"
This change in evaluation was a great boost to morale for the entire team.
It was at this moment that I became convinced that the direction I had been aiming for had finally taken shape .
After repeated improvements, the second sample was finally nearing completion as a product that truly embodied HushTug .
We never compromise on design, and we continue to evolve by overcoming each challenge one by one - that is our approach to manufacturing.
The initial sale saw an unprecedented number of pre-orders! 90% of the pre-orders were positive, making it an instant hit.
However, we cannot know until the product is released whether customers will actually like it, so we are constantly worried.
However, immediately after sales began, a large number of orders came in, and it became a huge hit, with a total of approximately 1,500 units sold (as of January 2025).
Furthermore, most of the reviews from customers who have purchased the product are highly rated, with over 90% rating it 4 stars or higher .
Actual reviews
(You can slide it sideways)
Also, when we talk to our customers, it seems that they are particularly satisfied with the "high cost performance."
At HushTug, we have adopted a business model that involves handling all aspects of our business in-house, from product planning to sales to after-sales support, in order to minimize unnecessary costs.
Because there are no middlemen, it is possible to create cost-effective shoulder bags.
In addition, HushTug offers peace of mind support , allowing you to return or exchange the product for any reason, no matter how much you use it, within one month of purchase .
・I want to try out the HushTug leather shoulder bag, but I'm not sure if it will suit me...
・I'm worried about buying online because it might be different from what I imagined.
For such people, we offer free returns and exchanges for 30 days, regardless of the reason or how much you have used the product .
With free returns, you can't go wrong, so if you're considering a leather shoulder bag, give it a try.
