Don’t get me wrong- I love my raffia totes. But I totally understand that people do not want to spend a lot of money on what is essentially a dried leaf (see the Loewe raffia tote in the small that is $590). So that left me thinking what type of bag has similar vibes to a woven raffia bag but is a better bang for your buck? Woven leather bags immediately came to mind. Below are my favorite woven leather bags (many of which I own).
1- Dragon Diffusion Cannage Kanpur Leather Basket Bag– $286
Dragon Diffusion is the first brand that came to mind when I thought about woven totes. Their price points are great (a lot of pieces are under $500) and all the pieces are handmade. Plus they have a great selection of colorways- both neutral and colorful. I personally have the Nantucket in dark brown and the Egola in chestnut brown.
2- Madewell Handwoven Leather Tote– $188
This Madewell tote is a great bang for your buck. It is slightly different than the other totes in this list as the leather is tightly woven (more like Bottega Veneta). But to me that is not a bag thing as it 1) allows the bag to be used all year around and 2) means that less things are going to fall out of your bag (like lip glosses or pens). Plus it has a nice zippered pocket inside (something the Dragon Diffusion bags do lack).
3- Mulberry Small Woven Leather Tote– $980
This Mulberry leather tote screams spring/summer tote. The color mixed with the leather that mulberry uses makes this a great option. [I can speak to Mulberry leather as I have two OG Mulberry bags (the Bayswater and the Alexis) and the leather still looks great 10 years (eek!) later.]
4- Naghedi Medium St. Barths Tote– $270
Okay this one is cheating a bit because this Naghedi bag is NOT leather but it looks like its leather and has the correct basket bag vibes. The price point, plus the durable, water-resistant material makes this bag a very popular choice. I have been tempted to buy this exact one but in cashmere so I will let you know if I do. Also I was able to find the rosewood color and the plaid pattern on sale.
What do you think of these leather woven totes? Would you consider buying one?