For the grippy cow suede used to craft this handbag, the flesh side of the leather is carefully sanded so that the leather fibers stand up and form the characteristic textured surface. This allows the bag to nestle comfortably against your body—and it feels velvety soft in your hand: You might not want to let it go at all. It not only offers a tactile experience but also fulfills its function with the typical durability of cowhide suede and a well-thought-out design.

This is because the suede leather bag is equipped with a side gusset (also known as an accordion gusset): this makes the bag’s depth flexible. When empty or only lightly filled, the bag is flat—if more storage space is needed, the gusset unfolds smoothly and increases the handbag’s volume. With casual elegance, the suede leather bag therefore not only holds your essentials but also gladly accommodates a tablet, paperback, or T-shirt, equipping you for all eventualities at work, while shopping, or when visiting a club. A sturdy metal zipper provides smooth access to the bag’s interior: The lining, a sturdy twill fabric, features a leather-trimmed zippered pocket to keep your small items within easy reach. The icing on the cake of comfortable flexibility is provided by the two adjustable shoulder straps, which let you choose how you want to carry the bag: comfortably in your hand or on your elbow, short or long over your shoulder, or crossbody—anything is possible.
A little tip to wrap things up: Treat the suede leather every now and then with a crepe brush and a special waterproofing spray. Then this bag will serve you faithfully for a very long time and develop that beautiful glow that tells the unique story of your life.

Fortunately, not every life path runs in a straight line, and where some see a door closing, Ellen Truijen curiously reaches for the doorknob. Creative from a young age, the Dutch artist never allowed herself to be confined to a single field. Her biography includes training at a dance academy, as well as studies in fashion and textile design and a focus on sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht, where she was able to explore her passion for materials and tactile sensations through sculptures and installations.

Ellen Truijen has since given up her dance career, yet she has retained her love for materials and tactile sensations. It is therefore only natural that her bag label, founded in 2002, uses exclusively high-quality leather in its designs. While the designs blend elegant chic with practical, everyday functionality, the leather proves itself in every situation as a durable, long-lasting material—and it’s a tactile delight. This means it has everything it needs to develop that individual patina through use, which is what makes every piece of leather—and thus every bag—so unique. “We believe our bags age beautifully,” writes Ellen Truijen, who has set up a repair service to give these leather companions an even longer life.

Since the very beginning, Ellen Truijen has also placed great importance on keeping transport distances short, which is why she produces primarily in the Netherlands. If a product line does exceed domestic capacity, the label collaborates with experienced artisanal workshops in Portugal and Spain.

Staining of light-coloured clothing, furniture and other objects is possible.