The origins of the bag that beguiled netizens have been determined! As it turns out, Dr Siti Hasmah’s tote was not the Zalora bag it was initially believed to be, but instead (and we love this) from Hamano, a Japanese leather bag heritage brand.
Behold readers, the stylish bag:
Dr Siti Hasmah’s bag is from their Delight Elegance model. The real tote’s identity comes courtesy of one of our eagled-eyed readers (THANK YOU, Zharin Hariz) and to be honest, what a cool brand.
Hamano bags are at a higher price point, with Dr Siti Hasmah’s bag retailing at about US$500 (RM2000).
Sure, it’s a bit more costly than an RM145 tote, but it’s nowhere near the cost of some (cough) other (cough) first lady’s (cough) Birkin (cough) bags (cough), which retail STARTING at US$12,000 (RM48,000) and can go up to US$200,000 (RM795,000).
The brand was established in 1880, and has a rich history of making leather goods including Edo-era sword casings.
They pride themselves on their craftsmanship, and well-sourced materials, creating each bag’s details by hand.
In a word of fast fashion, if you can afford to purchase a bag made by experienced hands, you should. Quality will last forever, and as much as we love a good Zalora deal, it is infinitely more ethical to buy something that you know was made by hand, by craftsmen.
A $500 handbag is a small luxury, understated in elegance, and tastefully sourced. Coconuts KL approves. But we still love a bargain ($3 Bata slippers kennot be beat!).
