Love It or Leave It: The Proenza Schouler Hava Bag

All four global fashion weeks have distinct strengths and weaknesses, and high-end bags is always one of New York’s. We’re a city that churns out some of the finest contemporary options in the world, from Mansur Gavriel to Coach, but once you start climbing the price ladder, things get a little bit tricker in the good ol’ US of A. For years, Proenza Schouler has been our most promising way forward.

The Proenza Schouler PS1 can only be called an unmitigated success. It was the first bag the brand ever released, and it went an astonishing number of years before I ever saw a plain leather version marked down. The PS11, which came immediately after it, was (and is) also hugely popular. Since then, though, Proenza Schouler has been feeling around for its next big hit, and the brand thinks the new Hava Bag might be it.

The Hava does at least one very important thing: it uses very unique hardware, which has always been a successful, important detail of the brand’s past success. The front closure is similar to the PS1’s, and the bag’s strap looks a bit like a very futuristic bike chain. (I mean that in the best way possible–it’s really cool.)

I know some of our regular readers aren’t fond of chain straps that don’t have a leather interruption for comfort on the shoulder, but at least this chain is fairly flat, which will probably help with how much it digs into your shoulder. Overall, it’s a cute bag: it can be dressed up or down easily, it’s distinct but not crazy, and it hits a lot of seasonal trends, like flap bags and chain straps.

Will it be Proenza’s next big hit? You tell us. You can also pick up a Hava of your own in four colors for $1,850 via Proenza Schouler.