The Guitar Bag: an innovative concept shop in Via del Pellegrino

“Wear the music” – Fall in love with the brand’s motto

Maria Josè Carral, the Guitar Bag’s founder, surely has an inspiring story to tell. Raised and born in Spain, she moved to Italy to study at the Academy of Fine Arts but, since she was a kid, her dream was to play the guitar. Since she wasn’t allowed to play the instrument, she started designing her own bags gluing together guitars’ straps. That’s the main reason why, she set up the Guitar Bag Project, a registered trademark and a fashion start-up, and decided to specialize in rock and roll inspired leather bags and accessories.

In the lively Via del Pellegrino, a few minutes away from Campo de’ Fiori, Maria Josè’s shop is one of a kind. Not only all the bags’ staps are made out of guitars’ straps but the place features music inspired design objects, an electronic guitar for everyone’s to play and a cosy reading corner.

So, what is the Guitar Bag? Do I need to play music to wear it?
This is one of the most common questions Maria Josè receives from her customers. The answer is absolutely no. The Guitar Bag is for all music lovers or everyone who enjoys high quality Made in Italy products. Her creations are conceived in Tuscany tanneries, exclusively for her. The bags are colourful and can fit different tastes, thanks to their iconic shape. Since they are provided with easily exchangeable straps, Maria Josè’s bags are meant to be used on all occasions, be it a formal one or a night out with friends.

Every little detail is designed to recall the musical world, even the bag’s names. Also, take the plectrum-shaped logo, inserted in the central part of the bag and the mechanism-shaped closure, also known as a key, used to tune the instrument.

Thanks to a specific fastening button, the Guitar Bag has received the patent as a utility model, Maria Josè tells me with enthusiasm. And, although the journey to achieve this result was bumpy, Maria Josè’s objective has been clear since the beginning. She was keen to pursue her ambition till the end, to make the Guitar Bag her own brand.

Finally Guitar Bag has recently launched the Leather Experience Lab, an immersive workshop to recognize the quality of leather and create your own Made in Italy accessory. The experience lasts 90 minutes, with limited spots available by reservation only.