Designer: Primitive Hare
Collection: Nashville Needlework Market 2026
Item: PH-282
Type: Cross Stitch Kits

Small ornamental purses have been part of European fashion since the early nineteenth century: evolving from practical reticules into decorative objects that reflected personal taste and craftsmanship. During the late Victorian and Gilded Age periods, most purses retained traditional silhouettes, yet the growing fascination with nature and symbolism gradually led to more imaginative forms. By the turn of the century, especially with the rise of Art Nouveau, designers began experimenting with novelty accessories, including figural purses inspired by animals: blending elegance with a sense of narrative charm.

This project continues a tradition that began last year with a frog-shaped purse and now evolves into a fox-shaped design. Although playful in appearance, each piece remains rooted in the historic language of antique bags: small treasures that reinterpret the past through needlework. Rather than reproducing a specific historical model, these purses celebrate the enduring legacy of vintage craftsmanship, where storytelling and technique meet in a single object.