Black Beauties

I'm not selling drugs, I swear. I just have a penchant for the references.

I haven't really been over-the-moon about any of the Kooba bags, but a couple of styles have caught my eye. Combining a worn-in, downtown aesthetic with luxuriously soft, supple leather, either of these bags would make the perfect everyday accoutrement. A brief discourse on the merits of each:

This is what I like to call an Icon bag -- not to be confused with its ugly stepsister, the "It." The latter type typically becomes a bore once you see it spread, all slutty like, across the pages of every other magazine, and on every other arm, whether it's real or one of the Chinatown fakes that are sold by the cargo load. An icon bag, however, calls to mind a specific character in fashion's history, conjuring up the spirit of some late, great, stylish personage. For instance, for whatever reason, this one seems to channel one of my favorite style icons, French chanteuse Francoise Hardy. The leather and hardware, and the not-so-feminine-but-undeniably-chic shape recall for me her somewhat masculine, mysterious vibe. It looks as if it could be slung over her arm as she hopped on a motorbike and effortlessly navigated through an urban landscape, bangs blowing in the breeze. Kooba Lola bag, $645 @ Active Endeavors.


This looks like the perfect urban utility bag. While it features the same buttery leather, it has practical features that are cleverly worked in as stylish design details, such as four outside flap pockets that allow for easy access to phone/wallet/cigarettes. I'm sure it'll only look better as it slouches with age. Kooba Micki bag, $695 @ Active Endeavors.

Photo credit: www.activeendeavors.com