In a glutted contemporary bag market, a black leather hobo with a circa-$500 price tag can be a tough sell if it comes from anyone but your absolute favorite brand. Most women likely have a bag with a similar description in their closets already, and those who don’t probably have a favorite brand from whom they’re predisposed to buy. So what’s an upstart to do?
If you’re Cleobella, you load up the bag with personality-rich details like those that grace the Cleobella Kaya Boho Bag. Doing so may alienate part of the market, but making a basic bag with a clear point of view will be very tempting for those whose personal styles fit with the look – in this case, urban hippies with luxurious tastes.
The only thing that gives me pause about this design is the door-shaped outline at the bottom center, which keeps making me wonder if I’m supposed to be looking for windows and shutters in the rest of the details. I doubt that was the designer’s intention, and I’m not sure if that’s a deal-breaker for me or not, but it comes to mind every time I see the bag.
The Bottega-style weaving and smattering of flat studs help break up the geometric style of the bag, and the combination provides plenty of things at which to look. For the right girl with the right style, this could be a great everyday bag that’s not quite as “everyday” as that designation would seem to imply. Buy through ShopBop for $528.
This bag is not doing it for me. It’s much too long for my taste and the designs are not helping. The weaving is nice though.
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