Kate Spade Montclair Jacques Tote

I love it when a wayward brand makes good. We’ve discussed previously that Kate Spade has recently taken on some new talent to right the ship, and while this season’s collection isn’t amazing, they have certainly come a long way from their relatively uninspired past.

If the Kate Spade Montclair Jacques Tote is a good representation of their new designer’s talent, then they’ve got lots of positive things to come. The things that strikes me the most about this bag is the apparent care and attention to detail that was taken when designing it. The edges are precise and well-thought, the folding and layering deliberate and painstaking. The contrasting paint that adorns the exposed leather edges gives the design a bit of depth and heft. The overall effect is high-end and expensive-looking, which is exactly what Kate Spade had been missing for a while. Keep turning out more bags like this, please! Buy through Nordstrom for $475.