With all of the men’s shows happening in Europe this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about manbags. Historically they’ve been a fashion staple, but much like hats, they fell out of favor in the second half of the last century. At least in a small way, however, they appear to be back and gaining leverage over the past few years.
And where there’s an opportunity to sell things, those trying to sell an expensive version of those things can’t be far behind. There are now more choices for luxury manbags than ever before, and my personal favorite (of the day, anyway) is the Basil Racuk Hard Brief.
Something about the stark, minimalist lines of this hand-crafted bag, combined with the vintage, weathered finish really appeals to me. The two ideas seem a bit disparate in discussion, but when they’re combined, the product couldn’t be more modern and chic. I would date a man carrying a bag like this in a heartbeat, and I wouldn’t question his manliness over it for a nanosecond – in fact, it might mean that he’s less likely to make fun of my bag habit, as every man I’ve dated since the beginning of…well, since the beginning of EVER…has done.
The design features little hardware and few outward design flourishes, allowing the masterful leather finishing to take center stage, as it rightfully should. I’ve been looking at this bag for a while now, and part of me thinks that perhaps it will soon be fashionable for women to carry bags like this one, just as it has become fashionable for women to wear men’s watches. If you’d like to start that trend, you know what bag with which to do it. $810, Available exclusively via the Basil Racuk store, Berkeley, CA. More info available via BasilRacuk.com.
Picture via The New York Times.
