5 Colorful Brights from Hidesign

Gone are the days when leather was mostly associated with formal wear. Colors such as black, brown and tan contributed in part to this notion. But these days we have this luxurious material in any imaginable color. When I stepped into a Hidesign store this weekend, there were bright pinks, reds, yellows, greens and blues peeking from their shelves. Not only are they practical but pack in oodles of style and a fun element. I was instantly tempted to bring to you this curated collection.

These bags are all made of full grain, vegetable tanned leather, which is a hallmark of Hidesign. These are also classic bag styles that can change roles from formal to casual effortlessly.

1. Connaught 03 in Fuschia | INR 3895
Leather – Pebble, Ranch

Connaught 03 is baguette shaped – short and petite. It is the smallest among the five and is best suited for evening dos that require you to carry nothing more than the essentials. It would fit in your phone and makeup with ease. A common feature of all the 5 bags here is a key holder within. This is highly useful to find your keys in a jiffy rather than fumbling around inside.

The main central compartment has a buttoned flap closure and within it are two pouches, one at the front and one at the back. There is a zipped pocket both inside and outside. The fabric is fuschia as well. The zip pull of the outer pocket has an elegant knot.

2. Carmilla 01 in Blue | INR 5795
Leather: Pebble

The Carmilla has an interesting design at the top handles. There is one pair of thin leather straps and another, shorter pair, in chained metal. I didn’t quite understand this design though – the longer straps cannot be detached in case you decide to carry it by the shorter ones; hence carrying the bag by the metal chains rends an awkward look with the long straps just sticking out on their own. Space-wise, it has the most simplistic design on the interior. Another shortcoming of this one is that it completely lacks any exterior pocket. The color, however, is a standout.

3. Ramanga in Yellow | INR 6195
Leather: Pebble

This has got to be the top pick from the lot. The Ramanga is way ahead of the rest in terms of storage space, style and ease of carriage/operation. The zips on this one are particularly smooth. The tassels on the zip of the main central compartment get a special thumbs up. This is also available in another color – Midnight Blue. But the Beak is a very unique shade, that is neither too bright nor dull. The bag has top handles as well as a crossbody strap. When slung as a shoulder bag, it fits too snugly under the arm, and if it is stuffed to the max, it can actually get a little uncomfortable this way.

I’m a bit nervous here as I make my debut appearance on the blog! So please be kind folks! 🙂 No – just plain honest!

4. Hanbury 02 in Green | INR 4895
Leather: Lizard, Melbourne

This mid-size bag has ample space within as can be seen in these pictures and a very straightforward overall design. The main flap closure goes inside the bag where it shuts on magnetic buttons. The strap length is the most appropriate compared to the Ramanga that is short (the top handles) and the Bia that is longer.

There are also two pockets on the outside. There is also the Hanbury 03 that is slightly larger and in red.

5. SB Bia 01 in Red | INR 5795 (INR 3995 after discount)
Leather: Crocodile, Melbourne

This one has an old world charm about it. Doesn’t have a crossbody strap but it scores high on the ease of accessibility of contents due to its hexagonal shape. The central compartment is divided into two by a zipped pocket. There is a pouch on one side and another zipped pocket on the other. On the exterior are two more pouches, at the front and back. There was a sale on this piece and was available at INR 3995 post the discount. It’s a good deal for such a spacious leather bag.

Hope you found adequate information on these five bags to help you make an informed choice.

Special thanks to Priyanka from Hidesign for arranging these bags for the review.