Karrysafe

DACRL’s work on bag theft was joined up with clothing by designers Adam Thorpe and Joe Hunter of Vexed Generation to produce the Karrysafe range of bag and body accessories with funding from the Design Council. The range helped users adopt a ‘stealth’ approach to carrying their belongings safely and securely, including under clothes, without the designs looking ugly or ‘criminal’. The designs incorporate high performance features including electronic alarms, velcro scrolling closures and materials such as Cordura that are resistant to abrasion.

During the collection’s launch season (2002-4), Karrysafe received considerable press attention as it focussed on user needs, as well as providing deterrents and obstacles to potential abusers. The Guardian declared that the ‘war on street crime gets fashionable’.