Are you searching for that perfect handbag? Well, instead of going from store to store, what if you could design your own? As Brooklyn Week continues on NY1, Jill Scott introduces us to one bag designer who turns to you, and the borough he loves, for inspiration.

A little stitch, a little steam, and before you know it this project is in the bag. Designer Aaron Sciandra is the man behind Brooklyn Bags, a line of custom handbags that are, well, made in Brooklyn.

“Every bag is made to order,” says Sciandra. “There are lists of option on the website that you can choose from. Also, since every bag is made to order, people often times ask for little changes or big changes, and it's basically anything goes.”

Sciandra makes everything; purses, evening bags, man bags, even bridal wear. His products are sold online or at small boutiques throughout the country, but they are all made by hand in his small Clinton Hill studio.

A lot of his fabrics are vintage pieces he finds at thrift shops or specialty stores.

How he makes the bags is pretty simple. Following his own patterns, he cuts and sews all the pieces together, even makes his own buttons. But it's his delicate hand and creative eye that makes each bag unique.

“The individualism of them I think is part of it,” says customer Katherine Kennedy. “They are a little funkier than a lot of stuff on the market. They have little touches maybe like the closers or the way the straps fasten to it that is a little different than what you see everywhere else.”

Now we all know New Yorkers know what they like, and a nice thing about a custom bag is you not only get to design the outside, but you can also design the inside. You can pick the fabric for the lining, decide how big you want the pockets, or you could even attach a matching change purse.

“Often times people have very, very specific needs for the bags,” says Sciandra. “One time I got an order from an MIT student who actually sent me a schematic for the bag that she wanted that had about 25 different pockets that were all specific sizes. I made it up or her and she was really happy with it.”

Even though Sciandra is a graduate of Brooklyn's Pratt Institute, designing bags actually started as a fluke. He was looking for an affordable gift for a friend and decided to make it himself. From there, requests started pouring in.

To have a bag made takes about 2-4 weeks, and the price won't pull at your purse strings. The Brooklyn originals run between $40 and $60.

For more information you can visit www.brooklynbags.com.

So the next time you are struggling to find that perfect handbag, Aaron Sciandra may just come through in a "clutch."

- Jill Scott