Min morfar: ardy
ARDY is personal.
The name comes from my grandfather, who was forcibly displaced from Indonesia. He moved to the Netherlands, then Sweden. Never spoke of his past and when people accused him of taking their jobs, he would reply that he was only interested in becoming a painter. He coped by dreaming, by creating. He called himself a “professional dreamer,” and he called me Miss Butterfly.
The butterfly stays with me. A symbol of migration, metamorphosis, and the quiet beauty of becoming.
Ardy is a growing space born from the desire to bridge busy worlds, where different lives, dreams, and priorities intersect. Where movement meets meaning. We believe beauty lives in that space of in-between, where contrast meets care, and where art can carry a message without shouting.
Each ARDY piece is unique. Just like each story, each journey. Whether you’re heading from A to B with your laptop and your essentials, or simply carrying a piece of your day with you, our bags are made to move with you. Made to reflect you.
A small contribution goes to an organization that supports people on the move, not by choice, but by necessity. It’s a quiet acknowledgment of a different kind of nomad. We don’t claim to fix or save, but to honor and support with intention, countering the hostility many are faced with.
ARDY is an ode to my granddad and to all those who dream, who move, who carry color into the world even when the world tries to erase it.
We’re starting with bags. Where we go next, we don’t yet know. But we’ll move there with care.
A note from the creator
"After graduating from a Master’s in Development Studies, specialising in migration and diversity, I continued volunteering at the borders of France, advocating for children’s right to play in contexts of displacement.
While searching for work, I felt a growing urge to create — and to explore how creativity and social engagement could exist together.
Today, in parallel of this brand, I work as a project coordinator in an initiative supporting women and girls in urban development, helping them take part in shaping the spaces they live in.
Through ARDY, I want to share what I have learned and contribute to normalising migration — not as a crisis, but as something inherently part of human life. This also means honouring the story of my grandfather: a personal migration story that continues to inspire my love for colour, texture, and movement.
Through each bag, I hope knowledge can be shared. Every collection contributes to people on the move, inviting curiosity, learning, and care. We begin with bags — and remain open to where this space might grow next." - Adrienne
Every ARDY piece is made by hand, in small quantities, with attention, time, and care.
The process
Each fabric is carefully handpicked, sourced from second-hand markets and end-of-roll stocks from fashion houses. By working with materials that already exist, ARDY produces small, considered collections and avoids unnecessary waste.
The creator design each piece and develop the patterns, continuously refining them through use and iteration. The handbags are then handmade by two skilled women: Chona, based in the Parisian suburbs, and Shireen, based in Cape Town. Each works from their own ateliers, bringing care, precision, and experience to every bag.
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