I’ve been anticipating the arrival of the Victoria Beckham Soft Victoria Leather and Watersnake Tote for almost five full months now. The bag first caught my eye when Beckham released the Fall 2012 lookbook way back in the spring, and it struck me then that perhaps the brand had found its handbag stride. It still feels that way.
The object of my affection is now available for further inspection, and I’m excited to say that I love it just as much now as I did then. Not only that, but the price is significantly less than I expected it to be for a Victoria Beckham bag, where full leather bags of a similar size often retail about $3,000. Care to take a guess before you take the jump?
$2,700.
Don’t get me wrong, this is still a very expensive bag. But, compared to the pricing for VB’s line, and considering that it includes a not-insignificant panel of real snakeskin, I’m willing to abide that figure for such a stunning piece. There’s a great deal of design confidence in this bag – no flashy hardware, no visible logos, only a strip of snakeskin by way of embellishment. The bag follows the tight, controlled line of Victoria’s very successful clothing line, which is more impressive than it seems at first. So many established, longtime designers have a difficult time translating their aesthetics into successful handbags that it’s a considerable achievement for a relative newcomer with no formal design background to have assembled the correct team so quickly. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2,700.
