Where To Shop That Not-So-Ludicrously Capacious Tote From "Succession"
Shiv Roy's roomy yet discrete bag was the stealth star of Succession's premiere.
A few months ago, I saw a tote so good I had to stop its wearer on the sidewalk. It had all those holy grail qualities that I look for in a designer tote: big enough to hold a laptop and/or gym shoes and clothes and/or the rest of your life, while also chic enough to conceal the fact that you are schlepping around your life in a tote bag.
The woman I stopped kindly indulged me and told me it was by Hereu, a Spanish brand specializing in understatedly elegant shoes, bags, and small leather goods. The label was launched in 2014 by José Bartolomé and Albert Escribano, and is inspired by their memories of the Mediterranean, particularly the Balearic islands. The tote that stopped me in my tracks was the Calella, a roomy Y-shaped cotton canvas tote trimmed in leather. The unusual shape and leather trim elevated her jeans and T-shirt instantly.
Related article: The 20 Best Leather Tote Bags That Carry It All
goodman Calella Large Bicolor Tote Bag
And then it showed up again on the season four premiere of HBO's Succession. This was notably, meme-ably, the episode with Tom Wambsgans' "ludicrously capacious bag" monologue, in which he tears apart Greg's gauche date based on her choice of accessory—that was a boldly checked Burberry satchel bag.
Shiv Roy carrying a tastefully capacious Hereu bag. (Photo: HBO)
Shiv Roy carrying a tastefully capacious Hereu bag.
It was Shiv who was carrying the Calella towards the end of the episode when she returns to her apartment in the city. It's a bag that could also be described as "capacious," but its restrained design is in keeping with the "stealth wealth" style codes of the Roys. Not to mention Shiv wouldn't dare carry it to a formal birthday party for her father. What's more, it was probably one of the best items in Shiv's wardrobe in some time.
In an email, founders José Bartolomé and Albert Escribano write that the bag was inspired by the traditional straw baskets worn in the Mediterranean. "It has an exaggerated Y-shape, which basically is a geometrization of the initial inspiration. The result of this exploration is a design with an almost architectural presence." The bag, first introduced in 2020, has been one of their most popular styles. It's easy to imagine Succession fans are now making it sell even faster.
Calella leather-trim raffia tote bag
This article originally appeared in Harper's BAZAAR US.