Bag Round-Up: Suede Edition
Making the case for suede in your wardrobe
Hi!! It’s been a busy few weeks, and I’ve been meaning to get this post out sooner, but at least now we are in the full swing of Fall where there’s no denying it’s here. I’m at Eataly where there are beautiful bouquets of autumnal colors and an abundance of squash.
I’ve always had a soft spot for suede bags…
Suede is a such a gorgeous material, with its soft velvety surface, the rich saturated colors, and I feel like it signals Fall (although I also like to make a case for some suede bags as year rounders). I especially love it paired with denim.
Coming from designing bags for many years of my career, I’ve heard all sorts of feedback around suede. Designers seem to love using suede (myself included). Buyers and customers on a whole tend to be more reluctant to purchase suede over leather, due to the more delicate nature of the material. The selling data normally tells us a similar story. In my research, I found that searches for suede bags have increased over 16% from last year, and we are seeing suede in apparel and accessories more than ever. It’s a timeless and classic material, so although it is trending at the moment, a classically designed suede bag will stand the test of time and can remain in your closet for years to come.
While suede is generally less resilient than leather, I like to embrace the lived-in look, where it gets softer and slouchier, and the color becomes richer over time. A little suede protective spray can keep the fear of rain damage and colorfastness at bay.
Now let’s dig in! I tend to love big bags as they are versatile and can function for multiple end uses. Suede inherently has a soft and slouchy character, so voluminous bags just look so good in suede! These oversized bags are chic carryalls - you will look so luxurious while schlepping your haul around town.
Métier makes very luxe bags that work hard. Hidden pockets, interior pouches, and the most luxe leathers and suedes. I also love the shape of the Proenza Schouler tote - it has sturdy leather handles, an additional shoulder strap, beautiful details throughout, and also comes with a leather pouch. I love the simplicity of this tote by Altuzarra - the snaps across the top are a nice functional detail, and the wide bottom ensures that the tote will stand up. This last one was a surpise find, and is very wallet-friendly. (I just saw that this tote is now sold out - sorry!) I love how clean the details are, but the exaggerated shape makes it feel so effortlessly cool. All of these bags will double as work bags that don’t look like your typical laptop-carrying bag.
Since tote bags are such an important and workhorse of a bag, I wanted to include a few of my favorite totes that are classic and timeless investment pieces. The Parker Thatch Mimi bag is a classic - it feels a little bit heritage but the rich suede makes it feel chic for everyday. This chocolate tote features knotted details and nice long straps that work well over the shoulder, even over a heavy coat. I love Little Liffner’s tote with the asymmetric handles - it’s a good size for everyday - not too oversized, but fits everything you need. This simple tote by Clare V is easy and sleek.
I love these slouchy sculptural bags. The Parker Thatch Charlie bag has a zippered top, and features hidden D-rings to attach an extra strap or bag charms. I am obsessed with the espresso suede color. The Khaite Lotus bag is such an incredible shape - it adds a really nice element of interest and the color is so saturated, the suede is very fine and I love touching it. The Toteme bucket is quite large - it’s minimal but the proportions, subtle details and quality of suede really make it look luxe.
Bucket bags are another great silhouette and works well in suede. All of these options are easy to wear, can easily carry a laptop and everything else you might need for the day. Suede looks so beautiful in shades of neutrals and earth-tones, as much as unexpected colors like the acidy olive in the first tote below.
There are also very cute but chic mini bags and here are a few of my favorite ones. The Métier bag has such a special handle. The simple mini shopper by Ann Mashburn is super soft and light-weight and is a nice price too. St. Agni makes some beautiful bags that don’t break the bank. And the Khaite Lotus comes in a mini size, it’s so good.
These bags are new options, but there are also so many good vintage or second-hand options. I love this vintage Coach bag and also this one.
Happy October!
x
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