Which Big Brands Are Courting the Maker Movement, and Why

To pack more wallop among the denim-and-leather set, Levi's is turning to people like Alice Saunders, a 29-year-old designer and history buff in Boston with a fetish for World War II duffel bags. Saunders, ironically, could care less about mainstream fashion, preferring vintage felt hats and rustic jewelry. What Levi's likes is her passion and the $165 one-of-a-kind tote bags she creates for her Forestbound brand using old, salvaged military fabrics. "My ultimate find is an old Navy duffle bag that the sailor had hand painted with pictures of pinup girls or palm trees," Saunders says.