It is difficult to remember a time when the tote bag was not a key part of our wardrobes. Whether it’s because our handbags became too tiny to carry our day-to-day essentials or because we now all rightly shun the use of plastic bags when we pop out to the shops, many of us turn to the humble tote on a daily basis, and have done so for many years.

While tote bags can provide a great way of telling a story about ourselves, in the same way that a logo or slogan T-shirt does, they are never the most glamorous or elegant addition to a look – and, more importantly, the sheer number of totes that we seem to collect is actually a cause for concern. According to a 2021 investigation by The New York Times, which reported on the “cotton tote crisis”, a tote bag needs to be used about 20,000 times to offset its overall impact of production, something which is particularly difficult when we seem to be happily collecting new ones all the time, but also because they really are not built to last. 

The cotton tote is something which we have come to rely on, and it’s unlikely that the trend is going to die down anytime soon. This is perhaps why so many high-end fashion brands have started tapping into the idea, creating luxe versions of the style, which are practical and chic but are also actually designed to stand the test of "Oversized bags are practical yet refined and make the perfect addition to an elevated everyday wardrobe," says Libby Page, market director at Net-a-Porter. "Look to supple leathers for an effortless elegance that balances the outsized proportions. My personal favourites include Khaite’s 'Lotus' and Bottega Veneta’s 'Hop'."