Is the canvas tote the new handbag?

It would seem so, without it being too big an investment. The king of tote bags in heavy cotton canvas, the Boat and Tote from the American brand LLBean, a classic of the genre that the ladies of the East Coast have been hanging on their arms since 1944, can be purchased for around 50 euros. On the site, however, you have to be patient to choose the right size, color, letters to be embroidered, etc.

This respectable two-tone icon has been enjoying a new lease of life for several months: Instagram has seen initiatives to “subvert this preppy classic”, as the wrote New York Times at the beginning of the month of August. A few smart little ones took advantage of the personalization offered by the house, at 8 euros and ten letters maximum, to write the name of other brands (Prada, Balenciaga, etc.) or messages (“Overbooked”, “Egomaniac”). Fun… on others.

For yourself, we prefer to hunt for old editions from the 1990s, khaki for example, a little sagging. Or turn to authentic models, like that of Saint-Lazare, which collaborates with Steele Canvas Basket Corp, specialist in cotton canvas since 1921, to manufacture, in Massachusetts, its large customizable shopping bags. Robust, practical bags faithful to the rustic chic spirit of the Boat and Tote but less expected.