Bring on the Bally

The key to breathing new life into a known but might as well be forgotten brand is to hire the right creative director.
Gucci had Tom Ford. Vuitton, Marc Jacobs. Coach, perhaps at one time the biggest turn-around of them all had Reed Krakoff, and now staid old Bally has Brian Atwood, who came with a built in following from his eponymous shoe collection.
The partnership paid off, as Bally bags have turned up on celebrity arms, and have sold out at sites like Net-A-Porter.
The biggest hit has been the Jana tote, a lovely beige no-nonsense yet still chic tote. Now, Jana has a sister, no, maybe a brother bag, known as Joe.

A bit smaller than the Jana, the Joe Shoulder Bag has all the elements that made the Jana style a hit. Clean lines, a downtown aesthetic, with an uptown feel, it is a bag which is at once stylish and conservative. The shiny hardware gives a cool touch but the tortoise links on the strap add some warmth. I also love the tortoise against the black...such a chic combination. Other small style touches abound, like the stitching at the top and corners of the bag.
It's a slim bag, but wide enough to carry a small laptop, or any other work items, making it a perfect office bag for every day.
The Bally Joe is $1199 from Zappos.