From accident to artistry, Adrian Fürstenburg crafts handbags that outlast trends, blending African roots, Italian tradition, and Asian innovation
Handbags are more than accessories. For some, they are heirlooms; for others, an extension of identity. Handbag designer Adrian Fürstenburg, however, regards them as vessels of memory and legacy. His first creation, in fact, was born by accident and became the foundation of his career. In 2006, while studying textile design, Fürstenburg was in a car accident that left him with a severe shoulder injury. “I couldn’t complete the silkscreen printing required for my degree,” he recalls. “I had to pivot to a weaving project instead.”
The result was a painstakingly hand-dyed houndstooth fabric, woven over countless hours. “I knew it had to become something special. That is how my first handbag came to life. Out of a difficult moment came the beginning of everything.”
Fürstenburg grew up outside Johannesburg in a family of contrasts: a farmer father, a cabin- crew mother, and a household that bridged earth and sky. “That gave me a unique perspective,” he says. “A deep understanding of the land, animals, and nature, balanced with the wonder of international travel.”
This dual outlook, grounded yet cosmopolitan, defines Fürstenburg’s design philosophy. From Europe, he draws a respect for craftsmanship. From Africa, he takes raw textures and elemental inspiration. Asia, meanwhile, offers innovation, from childhood visits to Hong Kong to his current base in Singapore, where his studio explores sustainable luxury.
Luxury as storytelling
Fürstenburg built his reputation through bespoke commissions, designing hundreds of handbags with clients. “Some of our most cherished bestsellers carried stories,” he says. “Like a mother’s bag lined with her children’s drawings. A handbag is not only practical, it becomes a canvas for meaning.”
Functionality is always the starting point. “A red-carpet clutch has different requirements from a travel bag with a laptop,” he explains. “Use defines shape. From there, we add creative elements: leather, colours, hardware, stitching. The final touch is personalisation: initials, drawings, or symbols that hold meaning. That is what makes it unforgettable.” His debut collection, The Leopard, The Snake, and The Star, crystallises this ethos. “This marks our first step into luxury retail and it pays tribute to my deep love for Africa,” he says. The motifs—a leopard, a Cape cobra, and the Namibian night sky—symbolise strength, resilience, and mystery. “Together, they reflect diversity in design and my journey across Africa, Europe, and Asia.”
Fürstenburg’s reverence for tradition does not preclude progress. Through Cult Leather (formerly ProjectEx), his sister company, he is developing laboratory-grown exotic skins. Winning the Vogue Innovation Award in 2022 was an important milestone. “The process is still complex, but the recognition confirmed we are moving in the right direction,” he says. “My goal has always been to create beauty while eliminating the cruelty tied to leather without compromising quality or longevity.”
Balancing heritage and modernity is central to his process. “It is one of the hardest parts of being a business owner,” he admits. “How do you stay relevant without compromising your design codes? For me, it starts with staying true to who I am. Investors want quick returns, clients want the best deal, influencers want free products, but you cannot be everything to everyone.”
Nowhere is his devotion to craft clearer than in Florence, where his debut collection is being produced. “To sit with artisans, watching them work with exquisite leathers, is pure joy,” he says. “The Italian way of making carries intimacy. Love is sewn into the leather and you feel it in the product.”
Toward legacy
If fashion often chases trends, Fürstenburg pursues meaning. He believes that in the past, fashion moved at a slower pace, and purchases were made with greater intention and for longevivity. Today, with endless options, the landscape can feel overwhelming. For him, timelessness has become deeply personal, defined not by shifting styles but by the pieces one would never discard regardless of changing trends.
That conviction continues to shape his work. He regards every bespoke creation as carrying heirloom quality, each infused with a story worth passing down. His current project, The Venetta—named after one of his longstanding clients—promises to embody that vision with particular distinction.
Ultimately, Fürstenburg sees fashion’s future as a return to symbols and identity. “With artificial intelligence and the pace of technology, people will crave symbols that anchor them in who they are,” he says. “That is why personalisation lies at the heart of what we do. Symbolism is not decorative, it is personal.”
This story first appeared in the November 2025 issue. Purchase it as a print or digital copy, or consider subscribing to us here
