There’s a certain type of bag that looks nicely structured, but when you pick it up it’s actually deliciously soft, with thick leather playing the part of the trompe àl’oeil. Though I haven’t seen this Botkier Howard St Satchel in person, that description immediately came to mind. You see, Botkier is a trickster. Their bags have such detail and immaculate styling that you’d think they are exactly as they appear.
But they’re better. Intricate zippers do nothing to keep a bag unnaturally standing on its own as in a stock photo- rather, they’re perfectly molded with the bag and don’t do much support at all. Luckily, this is exactly what we love in zippered and studded bags: an appearance of toughness, but a true nature of soft smooshyness (that’s a bag term, by the way). Like a tiny chihuahua, really.
This Botkier is no exception. The handles look wonderfully sturdy yet floppy and wide, and the zippers are noticeable yet unobtrusive, just perfectly there. Plus the satchel has one of my favorite type of mouth, aka bag opening: a wide one that opens easily, with neat square corners to boot. Buy through Shopbop for $475.
