Mr. Intrecciato's Bags #1: Coach Varick Nylon Draft Tote

Coach is a very popular brand in Singapore. Look around Orchard and chances are, that there is a Coach bag within every 10 metres. The most common bag designs found here come in the form of the classic signature, the continuous "C" logo pattern, which in my opinion, would be slightly flashy and quite common. Hence, when I wanted to get my Coach bag, I did not want anything flashy. I also wanted something that was quite hardy, and did not require much maintenance. Hence I bought the Coach Varick Nylon Draft Tote. Measuring 14 inches by 15 inches, it is quite a large bag. However, it will fit a tall guy just nicely. You can fit a lot of items into this bag. There are 2 zipped pockets on the outside, one on the front, and the other on the back. The back pocket contains another smaller zipped compartment inside.

Not enough pockets? Wait until you see the inside. There are 2 deep pockets, a phone compartment and 3 pen holders on one side. On the other side, you will have a zipped pocket , and below it, is the Coach emblem with the serial code and stuffs.

Besides the fact that the bag is big, another plus point is that it is rather dirt and water proof, as you can simply swipe off any dust and dirt, and water cannot penetrate the canvas material. Well, the only part where you have to take extra care would be its leather trimmings and the leather base (on the outside), where the latter is basically just to make yourself feel good as I doubt anyone has seen or knew that there was a leather base at the bottom of my bag. Also, the only hint that shows that this is a Coach bag is the leather and metal tags on the handle on the outside, and the Coach leather patch on the inside. Subtle design.

You can rock it 3 ways, by carrying it as a tote, sling it around your shoulder with the sling "messenger-bag" style, or carry it by the handles, as you would carry a holdall. I prefer carrying it like how I would carry a holdall.

The shoulder sling can be removable, but I chose to keep it on, even though I do not use it. This is because the brown sling "frames" up the whole bag and adds colour to it, preventing it from looking too bare. The metal loops at the sides would have looked out of place anyway, if I took out the sling. I am now in search of a nice scarf to tie around one handle as a bag charm to add a splash of colour to the bag. Any suggestions?

Bought this with the help of my cousin who travelled to USA at just SGD$475. In Singapore, you can find the bag at DFS Galleria Scottswalk, but this would cost you SGD$675.

Price: SGD$675

Location: Level 4 DFS Galleria Scottswalk