IMAGE: BOTTEGA VENETA

The Arco was one of the first designs created by Daniel Lee, making an appearance at Bottega Veneta’s Pre-Fall 2019 collection together with the now-beloved Pouch. It’s pretty impressive how the bag (much like the Pouch) has evolved over the seasons, introduced in newer sizes that seem to be even smaller than the one before. First came the Arco 75 (or Maxi Arco), an oversized tote that appeared in both the men’s and women’s range with the orthogonal maxi weave that’s officially a signature of the house. Then came the Arco 56 (Medium Arco) and Arco 33 (Small Arco), both of which are contemporary shoulder bags built with the modern-day woman in mind.

Today, an all-new size known as the Mini Arco makes an appearance at the Italian luxury house, coming in a miniature format that embodies all the codes of the Arco family. The elongated handles, in particular, are a refreshing mix of engineering and style. They’re short enough to be carried like a tote without looking overly unbalanced, with the perfect drop length (10 cm) that sits beautifully under the arm like a chic handbag.

The Fall-Winter 2020 Mini Arco (SGD3520) is currently available in colours like Curry and Storm for the pieces made from goat leather. But if you prefer a smoother finish, you can opt for the ones in French calf leather (SGD4170), with a range of colours like Clay, Fondente and Tapioca slated for a release mid-August.

Each Mini Arco also comes with an extra shoulder strap, giving you another way of carrying (across the body or over the shoulder), a style that’s currently unavailable in the bigger sizes like the Small and Medium. In other words, if you’re all for having an Arco that scores extra points in terms of versatility, go for the Mini by all means. Chic, stylish, and pretty well-priced for a bag that’s finished with saddle stitching (and fully made in Italy, to boot), the Mini Arco is definitely a contender if you’re all about smaller-than-small these days.

IMAGE: BOTTEGA VENETA