Two new designs, Ella and Le Box, join Elleme’s larger Le Bateau in a line-up of warm browns, suede and deep reds. Black has some serious competition.
Black is the handbag industry’s easiest answer. It goes with everything, demands little thought and rarely looks out of place. But there comes a point when a reliable choice starts to look suspiciously like a habit.
Elleme is making a good argument for shopping beyond it. The Paris-based label has introduced two new bags, Ella and Le Box, while offering its larger Le Bateau in a particularly convincing range of browns and burgundies. There is nothing difficult about these colours. That is precisely their appeal: they make an everyday bag feel like a choice rather than a default.
Two newcomers with different ideas
Le Box is the sharper of the two arrivals. Rectangular, compact and finished with twin gold-plated buckles, it has the neat appearance of a bag that means business. Black gives those buckles a strong contrast, but cognac makes them warmer, and the darker Tabacco has a more understated appeal.
Ella takes another route. Its long, gently curved body is less formal, and the shoulder strap gives it an easy, everyday appeal. It also wears colour differently. Le Box offers a fairly uninterrupted area of leather; Ella can combine suede with contrasting leather trim, or let one colour run through the whole bag. One is crisp and compact. The other makes more room for ease.
The case for a brown Ella
The sand-and-black Ella is a good place to begin. Sand-coloured suede forms the body, while black leather traces the strap and trim. It is a clever compromise for anyone drawn to a lighter bag but not entirely ready to give up black.
Brownie is the more persuasive departure. Here, the suede is brown from strap to base, giving the curved bag a softer, more casual appearance. It is dark enough for everyday use without looking quite as severe as black.
The black Ella, meanwhile, has its own argument. Vintage-effect leather gives it a crinkled finish rather than a perfectly even one. Black doesn’t have to be the boring option; it just needs something more interesting to recommend it than the fact that it matches everything.
Le Bateau makes room for colour
At 46cm across its upper edge, Le Bateau Large is a more substantial bag. Its long shoulder straps and generous body make it a practical choice for days when a small handbag simply won’t do. They also make the colour impossible to overlook. Here, the differences between burgundy, chestnut, cognac, dark brown and wine are more than an exercise in naming shades.
Take the burgundy pebbled-leather version with silver hardware. The cooler metal gives the deep red an unexpected edge. It is more interesting than the usual black-and-silver combination, without being any harder to wear.
Chestnut brings a different personality. Its vintage-effect leather looks slightly worn in, which suits a bag intended for regular use. There is something appealing about a carryall that doesn’t seem to demand immaculate treatment every time it leaves the house.
Cognac is brighter, and an especially good partner for the pebbled leather. On such a generous bag, the warm brown feels confident without becoming showy. It is probably the easiest first step for someone who has owned three black shoulder bags in a row.
Dark brown asks for even less adjustment. It works with much of the same wardrobe as black, but has a little more warmth.
Black remains in the collection, of course, and it looks entirely at home on Le Bateau. It is a reminder that there are several good answers.
Wine goes further. Deeper and redder than the browns, it would look particularly good with grey wool, dark blue denim or cream. It has enough depth to wear often, and enough colour to make those familiar combinations look less predictable.
There is also a second burgundy, this time with gold hardware. Seen beside the silver version, the difference is surprisingly noticeable: gold draws out the warmth of the leather, while silver makes it look cooler. If choosing between two nearly identical bags sounds excessive, this is the pair that might change your mind.
Black is no longer the only sensible answer
The appeal of Elleme’s latest bags isn’t that the brand has invented an entirely new way to carry things. Le Box is neat and buckled; Ella has a gentler curve; Le Bateau offers the space of a proper day bag.
There will always be a place for a black handbag. But choosing one because you genuinely prefer it is different from choosing it because you never considered anything else. Elleme’s cognac, Brownie, burgundy and wine options make the second excuse harder to defend.
Shopping note: Elleme is offering 15% off sitewide during its Black Friday early-access promotion, automatically applied at checkout. Check the retailer’s current terms before purchasing.
