The Marlow — Tan Leather Tote Bag

Tan is the Marlow for people who want to watch a bag change. It leaves us pale, close to honey, with almost nothing on the surface to hide behind. Six months of sun, hands and coat sleeves take it toward chestnut, unevenly, starting at the handles and the front corners. If you want the bag you unbox to look the same in two years, buy the chocolate instead.

It comes in two sizes. The medium is 14.5″ (37 cm) wide, 11″ (28 cm) high and 5″ (13 cm) deep, with a 10.25″ (26 cm) handle drop, and takes up to a 13-inch laptop. The large is 17.25″ (44 cm) wide, 12.25″ (31 cm) high and 6″ (15 cm) deep, with a 10.75″ (27 cm) handle drop, and takes up to a 15-inch laptop. Pick the size in the menu above; the price changes with it.

It suits someone whose bag has to hold a working day and then some, and who would rather not think about a closure.

The leather

Bark tanned rather than chrome tanned, which is why this is the one hide in the range that changes in front of you. It starts pale and unfinished, and sunlight, hand oils and ordinary wear pull it toward a deep chestnut over roughly two years.

How it is made

Handles are set through the body panel and riveted in solid brass at both ends, never glued to a tab. Hand stitching where it carries weight, machine stitching where it does not, which is an honest division of labour. Cotton twill throughout, with one zipped pocket and two open, and no glue anywhere in the assembly. Made when you order, which takes 3 to 5 working days, and a monogram adds roughly a day to that.