When does a handbag evolve into more than a handbag? Well, when that handbag ignites the embers of sartorial sensibilities across the fashion sphere. The slouchy shape of The Row’s Margaux bag is instantly recognizable and wildly, unapologetically duplicated—and although it was meant to be the luminous signal of “quiet luxury,” its power is actually quite loud. It should come as little surprise then that whatever sorcery Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen spell-cast onto their coveted designs has boiled over onto yet another bag from the brand. The Row India bag is here, and its presence doesn’t need to burst into the room to be acknowledged.
Photo: The Row
The best way to describe The Row’s India bag is by characterizing your quick-witted, polished, and PostIt note-loving older sister. She (yes, it’s a she) has the same energy as a high-functioning, independent woman—with little to fuss, or, to waste. Her calendar is consolidated and color-coordinated, more than likely. Made in Italy, The India is an updated bowling bag with a spacious interior, rolled top handles, and an exterior padlock hardware detail that comes in The Row’s version of a rainbow with chestnut, camel, black, ivory, and a daring deep blue—called Blue Nights. The sizes range from India 10, India 12, and India 15.75. Unfortunately for your pockets, the India bag’s price ranges from $3,850-$5,450, similar to the Margaux’s (but hey, at least this one is well-stocked—for now!). Unlike the Margaux, you won’t find any effortless slouch here. Instead, the India bag wants you to convey the art of looking effort-full. It has structure, form, and body. She screams, “Strive and endeavor!”
This New York Fashion Week it became clear, thanks to the countless street style sightings IRL of stylish showgoers, that the India bag is the next chess move in The Row’s global supremacy. And while the structured silhouette boasts the utmost levels of refinement and grace, the style looks good on pretty much every body, and fits everything a gal could need in a day, be it a small army of lipsticks and lotions, a laptop, and a leather-bound notebook, a change of clothes—and that’s just what The Row does best.
