Not every handbag is hired to perform a daily shift. The Numéro Neuf designs have a different appeal, with gathered leather and a softer, rounded body that favours the pleasure of the object itself. There is nothing wrong with that. It simply helps to understand what kind of purchase is being made. The Numéro Neuf East West in Plum moves away from the gathered Mini by lengthening the design into a horizontal shoulder bag. Its zip closure is a practical advantage, especially for anyone who finds an open or magnetic fastening insufficient on crowded journeys. The plum leather brings the seasonal note, but the more significant difference is the way the bag is carried and secured. This is a genuinely different proposition from the smaller Numéro Neuf, not merely another colour in the family.