Asia has cured me of my obsession with shoes, leaving me wearing flip-flops for a large part of the year. It has however fuelled my love of bags. I just can’t stop, and there are so many on offer, from brilliant fake Mulberry at Platinum Mall to vintage stores around the city and so much in between. I visited Asiatique the other day (Bangkok’s new riverside mall, grab the free shuttle boat from the pier near Sapphan Taksin BTS, open from 17:00) and was surprised to find so many fantastic bags to buy. Here are my three faves.
By Myself Handcrafted (Town Square District Warehouse 5)
This great boutique sells the perfect beach bag – stripy with leather handles. I’ve been lusting after one for months, but after seeing the craftsman in action in the Asiatique store, the bags have moved to the top of my wish list. Set up in 2005 by Tanawat “Ouu” Kuansuwan, the focus was first on wallets and keys chains, but he has now branched out. The leather comes from Argentina and Australia and is as soft as butter. Check out their Facebook page here. 
ELE Bags ( Charoenkrung District, Hip Zone)
Everyone needs a weekend bag and with the chances of flooding coming, the whale design of ELE (or Everyday Life Elements) would be perfect. Started in 2002 as a Interior Design company, they have now branched out into bags and accessories. As well as sporting a pretty funky design these bags are functional too, with the right amount of pockets and zips to help you not lose things. Check out their website here.
Icanita
I really liked their casual totes in bright colours and their envelope clutch bags. They also had some well made leather shoppers. They seemed to be pretty new and I haven’t managed to track down a website yet, but will go back to Asiatique soon to track down the store location!
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