I've had my eye on this YSL tote for about a couple of years now. It's reasonably priced, subtle, and handy, and the tumbled buffalo leather will age well.
YSL tanger tote (via YSL)Here's something a little more obscure, but from the same house: the YSL for Atelier New York tire track-embossed tote in chocolate brown. It's a beautiful bag, but I'm just not a fan of the pregnant look on flat totes. Must I only carry around sheets of paper, and if I'm being generous, a pack of Listerine breath strips all summer?
YSL x Atelier New York tote (via Atelier New York)This Margiela tote, a roomier riff on the popular Jil Sander market tote, exudes an art world vibe. Margiela leather shopping bag on one hand, complimentary crudité at a Chelsea opening on the other.
Martin Margiela collection 11 leather shopping bag (via Margiela)Speaking of the arts, this Lanvin tote of pieced satin and leather seems to be a Parisian post-apocalyptic take on patchwork arts and crafts. And I have yet to own a piece of Lanvin.
Lanvin satin and leather tote (via Lanvin)I've blogged about this a while back, but I still want my version of Tommy's rainbow-lettered Goyard St. Louis tote. I'd have it in a size larger, with the front emblazoned with my Lord of the Rings name "ISIDORE", rendered in roygbiv.
painted Goyard St. Louis tote (via This is Naive)I might yet have to be sold on the idea of boys with Birkins, but the Hermés Haut a Courroies (HAC) is legitimately a men's bag; a piece of luggage, but a men's bag nonetheless. And it is breathtaking.
Hermés Haut a Courroies on the Fall 2011 runway (via The Fashionisto)Dare I say Kanye West pulls off his man-Birkin rather masterfully? (I'd swap out the white sneakers for black slip-on shoes but) I can actually see myself in this outfit. The bag is beautifully battered.
Kanye West with a vintage Hermés Haut a Courroies (via Birkin Watcher)Hermés dreams aside, if there exists a summer tote close to perfection, it may well have to be this elusive YSL with the handle straps morphing into a slithering network of strips forming the brand's insignia.
YSL Sac Vavin (via Jak and Jil)It's called the Sac Vavin, produced in limited quantity Spring of last year, and is rumored to be available via special order at select boutiques. It straddles the line between clever and logo-a-gogo, and in this age of feigned subtlety and an obsession with obscurity, carrying around a bag with a logo bigger than my head could well be quite refreshing.
Dear readers, what will you be toting around this summer?