Forget the Wirkin—8 bags I'd ACTUALLY like to own

Roomy totes and bucket bags

This week includes recs, so you know the drill by now: these are for paid members. Open to mutual memberships, art exchanges, or if you’re struggling with the $5/monthly cost, just message me! And in March, I’ll be taking 35% off annual memberships. Lots of links and photos, so it might cut off in your email; please read in the app or browser.

Last week, I wrote about the Birkin and it’s most recent viral dupe, the Wirkin. A channel I occasionally watch is Tanner Leatherstein, a leather craftsman who pulls apart designer bags and analyses whether they are worth the cost (gasping in what in the waste). Redditors have asserted that although he looks at the cost of labour and materials, he doesn’t give enough credence to design.

There is an age-old debate between craft and art, and I think the same could be said for what makes something considered luxury. With a lot of fast fashion trying to luxuri-fy their marketing because they are realising they cannot compete with ultra-fast fashion, there’s a false assumption that this—meaning fast fashion parading as luxury—must be the middle ground for consumers. I don’t think that’s true.

Last week I mentioned that if you’re into designer bags, secondhand marketplaces are a good starting point. I’m not knocking you if you decide that the Wirkin (or the Birkin if it’s available to you) is the style you actually like and want to buy. But I do think we are bombarded with so much fashion messaging by the same brands that it’s difficult to research and find the alternatives.

I’m not arguing that the Birkin isn’t good quality, but I’m wondering what an alternative fashion future for the rest of us could look like. One that doesn’t have us constantly chasing dupes or giving credence to only high fashion. Instead, one that looks towards artisans and independent designers. None of these recommendations are cheap, but I do think that they are investments that are actually attainable for many people. Especially compared to bags that run into the tens of thousands.

I’m not a luxury handbag expert in any form or capacity, but these are the sorts of things that I like:

• Shapes, especially exaggerated boxiness or roundness

• Vibrant colour or patchwork when done in a contemporary way

• Focus on materials (no pleather here)

• Narrative—although I think finished objects should speak for themselves, there’s something special with a brand that is situated within their community

In this round-up, I’m including bags that have some roominess—think totes or larger bucket bags rather than dainty handbags. My preference is pretty much always going to be a backpack (boo for practicality haha), but these are lovely alternatives.