How to find the perfect everyday handbag
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What makes a perfect everyday handbag? I might as well be asking the length of a piece of string.
The ideal go-to is different for each of us. For some, a zip is non-negotiable. Others like an open tote for ease of rummaging. Perhaps you need something ‘ludicrously capacious’ (to quote Succession) that can accommodate a laptop and reusable coffee cup; maybe you travel light with a small cross-body containing just your phone, lipstick and keys.
Whatever your preference, there’s a reason so many luxury brands are kept afloat by handbag sales: we love us some arm-candy. The good news is that designers are thinking more carefully than ever about problem-solving features.
Since luxury conglomerate Kering (which owns Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Saint Laurent) invested in Cocoon, the handbag rental site has been giving feedback on the wear and tear of its brands’ bags, so they can be improved where needed.
Anya Hindmarch is fashion’s reigning queen of thoughtfully designed handbags – labelled pockets for phones, pens, credit cards and so on allow you to imagine yourself as a more organised person: ‘It makes me feel like my life’s in control,’ she says. ‘And most of the time it isn’t.’
Belgian brand Kaai is another to consider. Its Loop bag has elegant knotted handles strong enough to take a laptop; the Helix has a hidden luggage sleeve for frequent flyers.
And what about the bags we should avoid? ‘A heavy bag is just hard work and tiring,’ says Hindmarch. There are lots of lightweight leather bags out there, but Prada has also proved nylon can look truly luxurious, while Louis Vuitton and Goyard have long flown the flag for coated canvas.
If you swap bags on a regular basis, consider using loose zipped pouches. ‘I have one for first aid, one for make-up, one for chargers,’ Hindmarch says. ‘When I’m changing my handbag, I don’t have to empty the pockets, I can just move those loose pockets.’ There you have it: the Hindmarch ‘Russian doll’ handbag system – perfectly organised and no doubt equally stylish.
Try these...
Winona in Natural, £425, Soeur; Loop in Soft Croco Bleached Sand, £695, Kaai
Leather Pocket Tote in Grey, £395, Bimba Y Lola; Medium Cargo Crossbody in Seaweed, £47, Baggu
Curved Suede bag in Dark Beige, £179, Arket; Pocket Shoulder Bag, £180, Cos
Large Trafalgar in White, £220, Jigsaw; Ray Bucket in Wine, £850, J&M Davidson
V-shaped Nylon shoulder bag, £44, Weekday; Mini Lune Suede in Tobacco, £510, Aesther Ekme
Get inspired...
