It might strike you as strange that I’m writing about something so banal as a bag. For to some, bags, in the barest sense, are merely upgraded “plastic bags” which one can sling on one or both shoulders and/or hand carry from one locality to another, and therefore it seems inane and absurd – even ludicrous – to dedicate a post about it. Still others who are perhaps not quite extreme utilitarians in their regard of bags (but nevertheless made of the same ilk:) who actually like the look of bags and might even own lots of them but somehow never look past them as being mere show-pieces for status, or trophy-rewards of one’s merit, will probably also be surprised at such a post dedicated to a bag. And then there are those in which the description, “bag lovers”1 (that is, loving bags – in all its functionality and design – for its own sake), truly applies, who alas might resonate with what I have to share here.
While the adage, “big gifts come in small packages” remains valid, so too, in my case, that big gifts can also come in plain packages2. I received the gift in a rather thin simple greyish blue draw-string bag, and the bag itself at cursory glance was also plain-looking. It was black, oblong and boxlike in shape (see picture above) which – to be clear – I actually like, but it wasn’t until I really examined and begun to use it days later that I grew to love it, and as it turns out, I can say without reservation that it is the best bag I have owned my entire life.
The first thing I love about the bag is the way it feels: the bag is fashioned out of full leather of varying kinds – with the exception of the screws, zips and hooks which are made out of polished metal with a dark grey hue. The straps, edges, handle, buckles(!) and the back and bottom area are made up of smooth and “cushiony” leather, while the rest of the bag is clothed with a coarser leather that is also so pleasurable to touch. In fact, the whole bag is a tactile heaven and touching it became so instinctual that I was called out by my bemused and amused friends for my frequent “caressing” (their words) of my bag (embarrassing but I did managed to defend my actions and got them to feel it for themselves, hah)!
Another cause for love is the bag’s exquisite craftsmanship. Although minimalistic in design, it is clearly evident that there is much thought and dedication that went into the crafting of it. Try as hard as you may, one cannot spot a flaw within and without. From the sturdy zipper which zips seamlessly (and elicited in me the feeling of assurance that it will remain so for years to come), to the careful selection of leather parts and meticulous stitching, down to its integrative nylon(?) interior, it is hard not to agree – even for non-experts (such as myself) – that it is a well-made bag in every sense of the word.
And finally, the look of it, namely its plainness or simplicity that is so appealing to me. The bag looks “clean” with neither patterns or prints nor even any brand logo! And it has just two compartments – one at the front and the back other. How then can such a simple look be appealing – much less “so appealing”? Well, for one, I am a fan of minimalistic designs and my love for simplicity-elegance matches the bag’s “clean” aesthetic. And another is its fittingness of the constituent parts to form a bag of strong shapeliness (rectangular in this case) with “soft” features (the angularity is overcome by rounding off the edges) which altogether exudes dignity and “inviting-ness” as both an art piece and a bag – akin to the Randoseru, ランドセル, in beautiful simplicity and functionality.
What then is the result of this exquisite marrying of form and function in a bag? Well: awe, delight, gratefulness, and a desire to cherish and praise!
Well done, Tsuchiya Kaban! And thanks again my Dear Friend for the gift. ありがとうございました！:)
- Although I classify myself as a “bag lover” I am by no means the collector/aficionado type but I write on nevertheless for the desire to write about this bag is pressing. ↩︎
- But certainly not without the sweet thoughtfulness and radical generosity of my giver who is my close friend of whom I am very grateful for (much love, bro). ↩︎
Image Source: My Own
withaestheticeyes.com 
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