Botkier bags are not only gorgeous, they are also very functional. They seem to be designed with the user in mind, this making them appreciated by modern girls who don't have a lifetime to spend looking for items in their purses, especially when those purses are totes, which are extremely roomy by definition.
Botkier Rio is a tote bag with two exterior pockets on the sides, a bit unusual for this kind of bag, but surely useful for keeping a few things handy. The high-quality shiny leather is smooth, yet resistant. So is the logoed lining, made from a strong fabric. The expansion zippers on the sides can help you turn this bag into a generous storage space. There's plenty of room inside for an iPad or a small laptop, for instance, together with a few accessories and other personal items.
The bag is available in two colors: bronze metallic and cognac.
Bag size: 15.5” height x 15” width x 5.5” depth. The shoulder strap measures 6.5”
Botkier Rio Tote Bag price for any of the colors: $395 at Endless
Once more, Monkia Botkier proved that she created an approachable designer brand. The Howard Street satchel combines the edgy looks with the comfort and functionality of an everyday bag. The bag is made from finest quality leather, which is very soft and pleasant to the touch. Being so soft, the bag bottom is sagging a bit when you put stuff inside the bag, but this doesn't make it ugly. Well, it depends very much on personal preferences here: if you like slouchy bags, than the Howard satchel will be a great choice for you.
The Howard Satchel features two zippers which are fully functional and which can unzip completely around the bag. It's cool, you can then use the inner zipper compartment to store some of your secrets in there. On the front of the bag there are two D-rings, perfect for hanging a keychain or a small toy, if you're into that style. The tassels on the bag are removable, so in case you want to get rid of them for a while, there's no need to destroy them, you can put them back on again later.
While the leather for the black Howard Street satchel is pebbled and matte, the leather for the Cement Howard bag is smooth and quite shiny and the leather for the Espresso brown Howard is shiny and crinkly. The Natural Snake model is shiny and it replicates very well snake scales. All of them are very good looking, but I think I've fallen in love with the distressed leather of the brown bag.
The Botkier Howard Street satchel comes with an attachable strap which would allow you to wear it as a shoulder bag. For wearing it crossbody, you'll have to be very short, as the strap is not as long as needed in our opinion. Anyway, it's not a messenger bag, therefore I don't see this as a major drawback. You can buy the Botkier Howard Street satchel from Endless for $475
Do you know what differentiates an everyday essential bag from special occasion bags? I'd say convenience is the main factor. An everyday bag should be comfortable and it should allow you to find your keys or other items in seconds. It should also match as many of your outfits as possible, so you don't have to move your items from bag to bag every day.
If you take a look at the Rebecca Minkoff Squeeze shoulder bag, you'll see that it features a lot of exterior pockets for various items and that it also has plenty of room inside. The leather is smooth and looks a bit worn, which is a very nice detail that adds to the elegance of this bag. The printed plain weave lining comes in a combination of dark blue and black, which makes things inside the bag easier to spot when you're in a hurry. The attention to detail is pushed to the extreme. All stitches are nice and even, the metallic hardware parts are discrete and some of them have intriguing pyramid shapes. The magnetic closure is firm enough to protect your belongings, yet easy to open when you need it. All four colors in which this bag is available are great: black, brown, pale gray or acqua blue, no matter which one you choose, you'll end up with a noticeable bag.
The Rebecca Minkoff Squeeze shoulder bag is 15.5” high, 14” wide and 6” deep and it has a 10” shoulder strap. You can buy it from Endless for $495
Like all other Isabella Fiore handbags from the Mosaic collection, Susanna features that Moroccan inspiration handcrafted intricate tile work that makes these bags stand out. In this case, the embroidery is placed on the outer front flap-patch pocket and nearby the top edge of the bag. It’s beautiful and discreet and it gives Susanna a sort of vintage look many women appreciate. This tote bag has double braided shoulder straps with 5.5” drop.
The interior is lined and the interior pockets have a nice leather trim on the edge, matching the indigo color of the exterior. The interior zip pocket is large enough and there are also two multifunctional pockets for the cell phone and the pda or for any other item you may want to easily find inside your purse.
Bag size: 17.5"W x 12.5"H x 5"D
Bag price: $395
Leila is an oversized leather hobo bag featuring a Moroccan-style intricate design with enamel beadings. The braided strap detail offers a very elegant look to this otherwise simple bag. There are two color versions of this bag: one in tan and one in indigo. All pockets of this bag are on the inside, but that’s not an issue, the bag is large enough to accommodate plenty of items. I see Leila as the perfect bag for summer days, the ideal match for casual outfits. Nonetheless, it could be a fit for business clothing as well if needed.
Bag size: 17”L x 14”H x 4.5”W
Bag price: $450
The Liz bag from Once Upon a Tattoo Isabella Fiore handbags collection is maybe the best of all new items in their Spring / Summer 2010 catalogue. Liz is a mid size shoulder bag available in a very nice and soft pale yellow with brown embroidered tattoo-like patterns. For girls who like darker colors for their bags, there’s a version of this shoulder bag in reverse colors: black leather with beige patterns.
This Isabella Fiore shoulder bag features a front flap with magnetic closure and an interior zip pocket and pouches. The back zip pocket is useful for keeping items such as ID papers handy when traveling, for instance. The bag is made from vegetable-dyed leather lined with fabric. It has a 10” drop single strap with chain links alternating leather and metal rings.
Bag size: 14”W x 13”H x 3”D
Bag price: $395
