Art of the modern bag

The latest "It" bag has arrived to tempt fashion addicts, and they won't find it on the high street. The Tate Modern is branching out into fashion with a range of 100 per cent recycled shopping bags, made entirely from discarded exhibition banners.

The collection, which contains 170 bags, is expected to cause a stampede when it is launched later this month. Fashionistas, art buffs and the environmentally aware will be vying for the chance to sport the works of John Constable, Hans Holbein or William Blake on their arm.

Produced in collaboration with Freitag, the Swiss recycled-clothing brand whose designs usually sell in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges for about £200 a pop, the Tate's tote bags cost only £30. "Our objective is to appeal to a wide audience. We don't want to price people out," said Tate Modern's Helena Lawrence.

However, while the price tag may be accessible, the collection's limited number ensures that the bags will retain the exclusivity of their designer label. Freitag's innovative designs have been growing in popularity since 1993, when the company launched the first bag to be made entirely from recycled materials.

Inspired by the Zurich transport route that passed by their house, design duo Markus and Daniel Freitag created their famous messenger bag entirely from truck tarpaulins, inner tubes and seat belts. Markus Freitag hopes that their new art bags will appeal to "an open-minded urban crowd. People who like to see things from a different point of view, and explore new things".

Freitag and Tate Modern are already considering new lines incorporating the works of other artists. "We are looking at expanding the range, but obviously it will depend on the materials available," said Helena Lawrence.

Indeed, it was these practical considerations that resulted in Constable et al being used over other artists for the initial collection, which has been in development since 2005. "We didn't choose the artists as such; we just used the exhibition banners and other publicity banners we had available," Ms Lawrence said.

These exhibition banners were then coated with the tarpaulin that usually covers lorries, and fashioned into large shopping bags. The resulting designs are functional, robust and waterproof, with no two bags alike.

High fashion to cool cotton: the must-have handbags

Quilted Chanel, £1,000

The pinnacle of elegance and the epitome of cool, Coco's classic creation has enjoyed a massive resurgence of late, dangling from the arms of starlets Mischa Barton and Nicole Richie.

Hermès Birkin, £3,500

Inspired by British actress Jane Birkin, this roomy classic (right) is the ultimate investment, and the two-year waiting list will give you plenty of time to save.

Mulberry Roxanne, £600

Last year's bag of choice, the Roxanne's fine leather and chic studs earned it a vast celebrity following.

Fendi Baguette, £300

Before the big-bag boom, this little number was coveted arm candy. Its flashy image means it is now stashed in cupboards around the country.

Louis Vuitton, from £650

Fond of ostentatious displays of wealth? During the late 1990s, Louis Vuitton luggage was loaded on to private jets around the country, while high streets were awash with copies.

Anya Hindmarch, £5

Hindmarch's cotton shopping tote (left) had people swarming to Sainsbury's in droves this past April. If you can brave the queues, you can be leader of the 2007 fashion pack for a mere fiver.