In The Bag

I am an eternal just-in-case-person and when you work for yourself, you suddenly become even more in need for an every-eventuality bag to house just that.

From laptop, cameras (Olympus pen and Canon 5D for those wondering), numerous chargers and hard drives for on-the-go shooting, editing and uploading, to spare pairs of shoes, blister plasters, bronzer and bags of almonds for surviving back-to-back events, I’m forever carting around a tote bag weighing the same as a large toddler. So it’s no surprise my flimsy, freebie cotton totes have been usurped by an all-round superior model from Shinola, an American-brand I’ve long admired and coveted from a far.

Just like their leather accessories, Shinola is all about longevity, durability and classic American style. With its roots firmly based in Detroit, Shinola’s story is akin to a phoenix from the ashes… In the wake of Detroit declaring bankruptcy, the brand worked to re-establish one of America’s oldest industrial towns as a hub for craft and creativity. I first discovered Shinola while researching at my previous job in trend forecasting and immediately fell for their clean, classic aesthetic and elevated essentials that said ‘Made In Detroit’ in the best possible way.

Three years later, a new store in London’s Soho, and this leather tote is firmly in my clutches, helping me cart around all the essentials (and all those non-essentials I somehow can’t do without) from home, to airport, to meetings and back again. And unlike some other totes I’ve bought in the past, I trust this one to hold fast and have no qualms about piling it high with just about everything and anything without any worries of wear and tear (it has that look about it that says ‘I’ll age gracefully’). Understated and hardware-free, this speaks to my simplicity-craving Autumn brain in the same vein as neckerchiefs, train driver hats and ribbed knitwear.

Today it’s ivy and roses (and unseen vitamin pills, hand cream and an array of junk), tomorrow it’s trainers, gym kit, dry cleaning and maybe even the kitchen sink…

Jumper | Hush
Jeans | Frame
Boots | Jimmy Choo
Bag | Shinola
Belt | Asos
Neckerchief | Love Adorned
Hat | Isabel Marant Etoile

Ph. by Frances Davison
Thanks to Shinola for working with me on this post.