There’s something very special about Guy — the artist and creator known as @GuyWasRight on Instagram and TikTok. He’s noticeably reserved, but when he talks about his passion for creativity, he lights up. In July, Guy posted a TikTok video showcasing a handmade bag that looked like a sofa, which he called the Loose Change In The Sofa Bag. Besides the design of the bag itself, what sets this miniature piece of furniture apart is its functional ability to hold money inside the small cushions and behind the backrest. His genius-level ingenuity immediately caught the attention of fashion lovers all across the globe. “I thought it was funny. I just want to make people laugh. I’m just goofy,” Guys says in an exclusive interview with Her Campus.
As functional as the Sofa Bag is, its construction is anything but easy on the Atlanta designer. “It’s super tedious. It’s a lot of measuring,” Guy says. “You want a good quality, aesthetically pleasing product. That’s always first and foremost, so it probably takes, on average, two and a half to three hours just to make a bag really look how it does.” Despite the time necessary to create one piece, Guy isn’t interested in mass-producing his designs. “I’m cool with making different ones that are just one-of-one so that way in the future, five years from now, [my customers] can say, ‘I bought this from Guy,’” he says. “I like just for the art to be real valuable, and have it be a little more limited.”
Guy has done more than alright making limited-edition, one-of-one Sofa Bags for clients. After all, he was contacted by stylist extraordinaire Marni Senofonte to design a custom birthday piece for Beyoncé. In his true nature, Guy was cool about the entire experience. “I was so calm because I knew that for her to reach out, she obviously trusted my taste,” he says. “I was excited.”
Marni’s team gave Guy two days to construct a chrome Sofa Bag that also paid homage to Beyoncé’s song “Plastic Off The Sofa.” After a few phone conversations with Marni to discuss potential fabrics and the look of the piece, the real magic began. Guy says, “[Marni] was hands-off, and I really appreciated that.” This allowed Guy the freedom to work and create a breathtaking bag made entirely out of silver metallic fabric. Each cushion was carefully placed in a removable, plastic slipcover to protect it — Beyoncé could literally take the plastic off the sofa. So, did Queen Bey like the bag?! Simply put, Guy says, “Everybody, as far as I know on her end, loved it.”
So, who really is Guy besides the artist who made a bag for Beyoncé? He didn’t just drop from the mothership and start making quirky art. “I went to school for two years,” he says. He dreamed of being a doctor or a psychiatrist, and nothing or no one could sway that decision. The burning passion to become an artist was ignited, though, when he got an iPad. “I ended up dropping out [of school] after a couple of years and just toyed with the idea of just creating different stuff.” Though subjective, leaving school to pursue his real passions may have been worth it. I mean, he just made a custom bag for Beyoncé. Who else can put that on their resume?
Guy is willing to admit he’s not some “savvy businessman.” He’s an artist first on every level. He’s also made it very clear to his supporters that he isn’t interested in patenting his sofa bag, no matter how many people disagree with his decision. Brands such as Balenciaga and SHEIN have come under fire over the years for their alleged attempts to remarket stolen designs. But Guy isn’t worried about all that — he’s focused on the bigger picture. “If all these brands copy it and they make it at a worse quality, it’s more valuable knowing you actually have an original,” he says. “I’m Guy. You’re gonna know you got a piece.”
Being authentic is Guy’s true power. His inspirations in fashion and music are just examples of how he’s carried himself as an artist and as a designer. His biggest inspiration? “Kanye. For sure. My family gets annoyed with me talking about Kanye,” he says. “Virgil [Abloh]. ASAP [Rocky] is the cleanest dresser I’ve ever seen in my life. ASAP is different with it. He keeps reinventing his style. As far as music goes, [Lil] Wayne and Childish Gambino.”
Though making accessories is a cool business for right now, Guy is also setting himself up to be a successful music artist. “Music is primarily what I’m focusing on,” he says. “I’m gonna be known more as a music artist than I will anything else. But if you know me from just Sofa Bags, then I appreciate you for just being [here].”
Though Guy isn’t set on making many more of his custom Sofa Bags, he’s already got his eyes on another piece of furniture. “I’m working on a bed, just to keep going along with the whole bag thing. Everybody knows [the saying] ‘hiding money under the mattress.’” I’m getting my custom order in now.