I don’t fixate much. As you’d imagine, working at PurseBlog involves looking at gorgeous stuff all day long, most of which is for sale, and that’s tougher for some of the team members than others. It’s generally not for me; I have a very specific personal style, and most things simply don’t fit into it, even if I think they’d be beautiful for other people. Every now and then, though, something hits me and I just can’t shake it; that’s the case with the Mark Cross Grace Box Bag.
This bag has been around for a while, but the brand recently started adorning it in more adventurous ways, and its versatility is striking. The bag always looks polished and a little bit classic, but because of its clean shape, it takes a variety of treatments and embellishments particularly well. Also, the details are on-point; it opens like a mini treasure box, with a hefty metal clasp and contrasting leather lining. The bag comes in two sizes, and neither are overwhelmingly large.
I saw the Grace on a lot of fancy fashion people at NYFW, and ever time, it looked fresh and appropriate. Fashion Week repeats can feel played out pretty quickly, but I was happy to see this bag every time it popped up. The bags are expensive, but Mark Cross bags are made of nice materials; when I’ve handled them in the past, they feel like the sort of thing that’s worth the money.
Below, check out a few of my favorite new Grace Box Bags.
Mark Cross Grace Tricolor Box Bag
$2,762 via MATCHESFASHION.COM
Mark Cross Leather and Rattan Box Bag
$2,281 via MATCHESFASHION.COM
Mark Cross Leopard Calf Hair Small Grace Box Bag
$3,095 via Net-a-Porter
Mark Cross Python Grace Small Box Bag
$3,950 via Net-a-Porter
Mark Cross Quilted Grace Box Bag
$2,937 via MATCHESFASHION.COM
It’s nice to see you feature an American brand. I’d like to see you post brands like Frank Clegg and J.W. Hulme. Not only are they American brand, they’re both completely American made. Amanda, you can use your influence to turn the spotlight to the American brands manufacturing here instead of cheap labor abroad.
The first photo made the bag look like a backgammon case 🙂 It looks better when you can see some of the side. The rattan and leather one looks a little like a posh picnic lunch box. It’s a nice bag, I suppose, and I like the quilted black one best, but I can’t see myself seriously interested in buying any of them.
Gorgeous bags!
xoxo, jessi
mywhiteT.com
they all look a bit plain, the quilted one admittedly is a bit interesting.
Not my cup of tea. It reminds me of a lockbox where I keep important papers… Or maybe a tea chest.
no offense but you guys are a few years behind
Sometimes it takes a while for something to grow on you! We post a lot about the latest/greatest, but sometimes it’s fun to look at what’s held up well even though it’s not brand new.
I bought a small black Grace Box and a Benchley Bag way back in the 1990s (just before Sara Lee closed them down). I can’t speak to the quality today, but I’ve used mine often all these years and they’re still in excellent condition. I’ve always gotten loads of compliments on these – from both men and women. They are so perfectly elegant to me and are still amongst my favorite bags and, like Amanda, I too love how they’ve gotten playful and adventurous with materials and colors, but I would have a really hard time bringing myself to paying today’s retail price for one.
From the front, the Tricolor reminds me of Loewe’s 2-way shoulder bag, but then, look at it sideways, suddenly it’s Party in the Back!!
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I love this bag too Amanda! I just discovered this brand (I’m from Europe) and I love how playful, classic and feminine the Grace box is. And Alexa Chung is regularly spotted with this box in beige!
On my shopping list!
Are these difficult to get in and out of? I also like the Hadley style.
Does anybody find it annoying that you have to turn it on its side to open it? Or does stuff mostly not fall out? I always overstuff my bags so I’d imagine even with an internal gusset stuff would fall out.
Most of the models have sort of a “webbed” opening. (I can’t think of a better word for it.) When you open it, two panels of leather extend between the top and bottom of the bag, which keeps stuff from spilling out the sides and prevents the top from opening flat.
I loved this bag!
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Amanda, I noticed that there are two sizes, small and large, although their differences don’t appear that significant – are they if you see them in real life?