Reed Krakoff’s Bags for Kohl’s Will Look Awfully Familiar to Luxury Shoppers

When Reed Krakoff suspended operations in March 2015, the brand’s namesake designer promised that wouldn’t be the last we heard from his company. A little over a year later, he’s back, but at an entirely different price level. REED bags, small accessories and clothing launched this week at Kohl’s online, and the line drops in-store on April 21. If you were a Krakoff fan during the brand’s short run, you might recognize some things.

The line includes three bag and accessory families that also exited in Krakoff’s luxury line: the Boxer, Atlantique and RK40. Although these faux leather iterations max out at $129, many of them are identical to their four-figure inspirations in proportion, detail and overall appearance. The materials may not be as nice, but the aesthetic result isn’t all that far off.

The line will probably irritate longtime Krakoff clients whose $2,000 bags suddenly look like they came from a mass-market discount store, but it’s also proof that personal style doesn’t have to be the exclusive province of the wealthy. If low-price retailers make it their priority to offer quality products, those who can’t pay a premium can still feel like they look their best.

Beyond the launch itself, though, this high-profile Kohl’s collab is a strong clue that Krakoff doesn’t intend to return to the luxury market under his own name; luxury consumers are very sensitive to branding, and selling his designs at their original prices would be basically impossible while their REED-branded counterparts are available for 80 or 90 bucks in perpetuity.

Check out the three big bag groups from the line below or shop the entire selection via Kohl’s.