Totally Underrated: Acne Studios Handbags

The brand has been expanding its leather goods line, and the results are worth a look

If your interest in fashion mostly centers around bags, you might not be super familiar with Acne Studios, a Stockholm-based brand that, until recently, has been a standout in clothing and shoes but not so much in handbags. Acne (pronounced AK-nuh, instead of like the clinical term for skin blemishes) is known for its modern, slightly off-kilter look, and it often reminds me of a more casual and slightly more affordable Céline, but with a sense of humor. The brand’s Musubi bag line is in keeping with that aesthetic, and that’s a pretty high compliment. Kaitlin first reviewed one of these bags a year ago after taking it for a spin, but the full line is worth a look.

The Musubi line includes several different structures in different sizes, but all can be shoulder carried and with the exception of a pebbled silver options, all the bags are rendered in smooth, soft, neutral leather. The bags have a minimalist bent, and the main attraction for all of them is a knot detailing made with broad, flat swaths of leather. It’s an embellishment that doesn’t feel too precious, and the bags are pleasantly subtle. In larger sizes, they’d make great work options, and the smaller sizes seem like the kind of weekend bags you’d reach for again and again. Check out a bunch of bags from the line below.