The Look for Less: Loewe vs. Furla

Loewe Amazon Bag, $1760 via Matches. Furla Camargue Bauletto Satchel, $495 via Nordstrom.

I didn’t take much of a shine to the Loewe Amazona Bag until I saw one in person, but since I did, my borderline-obsessive interest in the brand has yet to falter. Loewe’s leather really is something that needs to be experienced to be understood; I’ve yet to see a photo that accurately depicts the simple beauty of one of the brand’s bags.

The problem, of course, is that not only is Loewe prohibitively expensive for the average consumer, but trying to find one of its bags in-store is the stuff of slight mental breakdowns. I’ve only seen them two places: Bergdorf Goodman, which has only one location (New York), and Jeffrey, which has only two (New York and Atlanta). The brand’s website has e-commerce, but doesn’t ship to the US. So what’s a girl with a limited budget and limited access to Loewe do? Find a Look for Less – how about the Furla Camargue Bauletto Satchel?

The Furla bag lacks the Amazona’s pop of red, of course, but the Amazona comes in many more color combinations, most of which have handles that match the rest of the design’s trim. It also must be said that the F-cutout on the front of the Furla drives me absolutely insane, and I can’t imagine why the company thought doing that would be a good idea. But other than than those things, the stylistic notes of the bag are similar – simple, neutral top-zip satchels with neat corners and contrasting trim.

Loewe Amazona Bag, $1760 via Matches

Furla Camargue Bauletto Satchel, $495 via Nordstrom