This recent trend of every design house taking their most popular bag style and miniaturizing it seems to be a fad, but one I definitely want to jump on. They’re capitalizing on the general affinity the public has for miniatures, and it seems to be a pretty successful move so far. People are going gaga for the original and the minis. Here are some of my favorite mini designer bags:

Saint Laurent Baby Sac de Jour

Some people pooh Saint Laurent’s Sac de Jour bag because it looks too much like the Birkin. But I say, I may just like it better than the Birkin. Minimalism is all the fad these days, and this bag feels very modern chic and very Parisian. Really effortlessly chic in the full size, but retains that same chicness in an even more adorable package in the baby size. Get it here from Saks for $1,990. Yeah, the price is not so cute.

Balenciaga Mini City

I’ve always been a fan of Balenciaga bags. I love that unlike LV who used to rely solely on plastering their logos all over their bags (aka Monogram bags), Balenciaga is recognized by their distinct style, not their logo. They’ve now taken the super classic City shape and miniaturized it into a crossbody. Just the right size for all your essentials and still retains that cool Balenciaga vibe. Get yours here from Neiman Marcus for $1,395. Tons of colors available.

Givenchy Mini Antigona

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you know that the Givenchy Antigona bag has been crazy popular. I’ve literally seen it everywhere. Like the Sac de Jour, it’s a very minimalist bag with a great structure that oozes chic without all the frills. No tassels needed, no crazy hardware, no weird colors or mixed media, just an elegant, timeless shape in classic colors. In the mini, it’s convenient and light to carry around, perfect for shopping days or when you just need the essentials with you. I love it in black or burgundy. Get yours here from Saks for $1,495.

Dior Mini Lady Dior in Black Lambskin

The Lady Dior bag is stunning in black lambskin with gold hardware. Not since I fell hard for Chanel black caviar flap with gold hardware have I felt this same vibe from a bag. It’s classic and chic in a completely different way from the other bags; it oozes elegance and ladylike refinement. Since I’m neither refined nor very ladylike, I’m not sure this bag works for me, but regardless I love it. In the mini version, it’s simply too cute to resist. What a great little crossbody for day or evening! The mini Lady Dior isn’t really available online anywhere except for one pre-owned at Shopbop. Check it out here.

Which miniaturized designer bags are your favorite?

P.S. Please let me know if any of these photos belong to you; I’m happy to put up photo credits, just couldn’t find any for these photos!

With Mulberry’s profits tanking in recent times, the powers that be over there have decided to revert back to releasing “affordably-priced” bags less in the top-end designer range of Chanel and Prada, and more along the lines of somewhere between that and the Coach and Michael Kors of the market. Their new Tessie collection was the first collection to launch with this new mantra, and surprisingly it hasn’t been a huge hit.

The line includes a tote, a crossbody bag in two sizes, and a hobo, along with some accessories like a bracelet. They come in very Fall colors — the classic Black, the very Mulberry Oak, and Burgundy/Oxblood. All priced similarly under $1000. I have to say, I love this line — especially the crossbody satchel.

And it’s not even because of the price. I love it purely for its equestrian aesthetics, its simple, classic shape, that understated pop of gold with an even more subtle logo, and how it all comes together to look effortlessly chic when slung over your shoulder or across the body. It wouldn’t have surprised me if this bag was priced at $1,200 to $1,400. It looks expensive and very well-made, with the classic Mulberry oak color saturating that yummy, pebbly leather perfectly. The Oxblood is a close contender.

It’s really just stunning, and especially given the relatively reasonable pricing, it’s moved up even more on my to-buy list. Check out how the Oak Tessie looks in real life, photo courtesy of fluffandfripperies.com.

I mean, how can anyone not love that? Which leads me back to the original question…why isn’t this line more popular? Has Mulberry just lost its brand luster with people these days? Does a designer trying to be in between the high end and the Coach’s of today not appeal to people? Are people actually turned off by a bag that’s known to have been priced cheaper? That wouldn’t surprise me given the target audience here is still people who often buy luxury items at least partially for the cache. But then again, the LV Neverfull was meant to be an entry-level, budget-friendly Louis Vuitton and it’s been wildly popular and now a classic staple of LV. So I don’t know, what do you guys think?

Get the Mulberry Tessie crossbody satchel from Selfridge’s in Oak, Oxblood, or Black.

Get the Mulberry Tessie Tote from Selfridge’s in Oak or Black.