How would you like a square pocketed sling bag in fluorescent yellow contrasted with light tan? Or would you rather have it in acid green with cranberry trims? A colour-banded vertical tote perhaps? Or a large cruise shoulder bag in faux leather with comfortably roomy compartments? Or better still a quilted compact tote in turquoise blue with gold metal work and your initials monogrammed on a tag?
Whatever your style, your requirement, or colour palette, Toteteca Bag Works, the online bag store promises to have your bespoke bag done for you.
Toteteca literally means “The Handbag Library” in Latin and proprietor Kushal Chudiwala believes bag ideas deserve a library because “nothing really goes out of style”. “We have classic shapes and some like messenger bags and shopping bags are evergreen,” offers Kushal. So you can always go back and refer to these styles. Each week they add a new collection with about four designs, and they’ve been up and running since February this year, so you do the math…Next up is a Nuevo retro collection that brings funky colours to the designs of the 70s and 80s, he says.
Once on their site, a good idea is to surf their “trends” section that gives you some whacky colour ideas and looks of the season to begin with. You then get to pick a design from their library of over 50 and ever-growing options. Choose from a range of slim bags, small, medium, large, clutches and tech accessories (laptop bags, tablet sleeves et al). Once you click on a style, you get all the details on its design — how many compartments/ zippers, magnetic flaps, handle length etc. Then customise it to your whim and fancy — pick the colour of the main body, the handle, the contrast, the lining inside the bag, even handle length! You can then type in your initials to be monogrammed onto a tag or the inner lining. And leave a note for the designers if you have any other specifications. All bags use faux leather. There’s a helpline to call for further details.
“Most requests we get are for extra sections, pockets for phones, or sections for iPads,” observes Kushal, who’s the director of Mumbai-based Veda Lifestyle, a brand that’s been designing and making bags for large retail stores in India for the last eight years. Yes, so they know their business. “We wanted to leverage our manufacturing ability while launching our own label,” he says. “The idea of customisation was prime, but at an affordable price point. We wanted everyone from college girls to working women to be able to afford it.”
Prices start at Rs. 900 and go up to Rs. 3,800. Most are in the Rs. 2,500 range. They ship anywhere in the world. Costs mentioned on the site include taxes and shipping costs; you can pay by card or net banking or “cash pickup” before an order is processed.
Check www.toteteca.com. Or call 022-65058122 (Mumbai).
