British-Nigerian Inventor Launches Patented Modular Handbags on Kickstarter

A British-Nigerian designer has launched a groundbreaking Kickstarter campaign to showcase his ingenious patented handbag invention.

Shina Xifregas, the visionary behind LVCY PEARL, has created a pioneering modular handbag innovation. His patented Building Bags® system allows users to assemble multiple fully functioning clutch handbags into a single personalized piece – with a seamless merged compartment. The modular elements can be swapped out in minutes, offering unmatched flexibility in size, style, and design.

“Most handbags give you one shape, one look, and one purpose,” said LVCY PEARL founder  Xifregas. “Whereas what I’m bringing to market is a bag that, in effect, can have its size and look change repeatedly.”

Xifregas has been granted patent rights for LVCY PEARL in several key consumer markets, including the UK, Italy, France, and China. This gives him exclusivity to the invention in the respective countries, underscoring just how novel this approach is within the fashion industry.

Build the bag you want today, create a new one tomorrow

Xifregas asserts that “it’s the first time in the world that someone has worked out a way to turn a variety of bags into a single bag, which you can take advantage of when you need a bigger bag.” Each component bag is fully functional on its own, enabling users to carry them separately or combined as needed.

Given LVCY PEARL’s unrivalled uniqueness, craftsmanship, and price point, the collection could be described as a premium handbag brand — quality materials without traditional high-end luxury-house pricing.

A selection of handbags from LVCY PEARL’s patented modular collection. (Photo courtesy of LVCY PEARL)

Still, Xifregas prefers to avoid traditional luxury labels and instead focusing on his brand’s playful design, creative expression, and functional versatility. “With owners being given the option to assemble and disassemble their handbag collection, I think our value proposition is so unique it isn’t easily identifiable, at least for now.”

Shina views LVCY PEARL as a “social tool” that drives dialogue and personal expression. “A Lvcy Pearl handbag is an unprecedented convergence of functionality and fun in a handbag. It’s so distinct that having the bags will become a conversation starter.”

The goal is to give customers complete creative control

He plans to replicate a Pandora-style retail experience, where customers select components to assemble personalized bags either online or in physical stores, creating a highly customized shopping journey.

“The world loves how Pandora delivers personalised jewellery at scale,” he says. “This bag system offers a similar approach for handbags.” He adds that offering both personalised jewellery and personalized handbags under one brick-and-mortar roof could create meaningful retail synergy.

Xifregas spent years experimenting with design features. His inventor mindset and passion for container design drove the product’s originality, fueled by years of prototyping, critical thinking, and iterative refinement.

“I just have this weird interest in containers and in particular bags, because as you can imagine, of all the thousands of types of containers in the world, the most beautiful ones are bags.”

Inspired by Cultural Fusion and Unmatched Functionality

LVCY PEARL features two distinct logos: one in English and the other in Japanese kanji. The concept is a mishmash of R&B flair and East Asian aesthetics,  with the motif drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese hanko stamps, the Wu-Tang Clan emblem, and the now-defunct R&B trio Lucy Pearl.

Xifregas’s global sensibility has shaped his brand’s eclectic, Japanese-inspired aesthetic. Born and raised in the UK, he spent his formative years in West London before moving to Nigeria at age eight. He later returned to Britain in his early twenties. After earning a joint degree in Business and Japanese at Cardiff University, Xifregas spent seven years living in Japan to fully immerse himself in the language and culture.

Inventor-designer Shina Xifregas at work on one of his patented modular bags. (Photo courtesy of LVCY PEARL)

Now settled in Bristol, in England’s southwest region, he reflected: “I knew that as soon as I graduated, I wanted to go and live in Japan. I absolutely love the Japanese language. What attracted me to Japan in the first place was kanji. To me, every Japanese kanji looks like an abstract piece of art.”

Like many solo founders, Xifregas dedicated years to getting his startup off the ground. From initial experimentation and prototype development to annual patent renewal fees, he has personally invested tens of thousands of pounds to bring his back-of-a-napkin idea to life.

Xifregas has navigated significant challenges

His personal story includes navigating significant challenges, including being adversely affected by the Windrush scandal,  which stalled his progress but ultimately strengthened his resolve. “ It [The Windrush scandal] ended up wrecking the lives of thousands and thousands of black folks. I got swept up in that. The whole experience has been traumatic.”

In this new chapter, Xifregas just launched a Kickstarter. The crowdfunding campaign aims to raise funds for production and manufacturing, critical for scaling beyond prototypes. After the handbags hit the market, the long-term plan is to invent associated products.  He also has other pioneering ‘patent-worthy’ inventions up his sleeve.

A selection of handbags from LVCY PEARL’s patented modular collection. (Photo courtesy of LVCY PEARL)

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Kickstarter is offering early access and limited backer perks for those who want to be among the first to support this patented innovation. It’s an opportunity to support a brilliant designer-inventor introducing a product that elevates handbag engineering to a new level.

Support Kickstarter to support a visionary founder 

By joining the Kickstarter campaign, you’re not just purchasing a modular handbag system. You’re helping launch a new category created by a visionary founder pushing design and engineering forward in a way the industry hasn’t seen before. This is the first opportunity to own the LVCY PEARL modular system at a significant discount and help shape the evolution of the collection.

Xifregas’ tenacity is to be admired. He is steadfastly committed to commercializing his invention and making a lasting mark in the fashion industry.  “I believe that the value proposition and the commercial potential of this product are so strong that eventually, when it gets to market, and it starts selling really well, all my hard work will pay off.” Interested in backing this Kickstarter Campaign? Pledge here.

Call to Prospective – Management x Investors

Xifregas is the Founder, the sole inventor, and IP architect. We are seeking a Strategic Investment Partner who will provide capital and has a track record of scaling DTC e-commerce/retail to ensure rapid, disciplined execution and to leverage the multi-billion-dollar opportunity. This ensures immediate operational scale and de-risks the investment by supplementing the founder’s patented IP with proven management expertise.”

To learn more about the innovation or connect directly with the founder, email Shina Xifregas at shina@lvcypearl.com.