In inclement weather, be prepared with Valentino

When I first saw the Valentino Primavera Water-Resistant Tote, I was really surprised. Not that the bag existed or was being marketed for rainy days – no, that made perfect sense – but that we don’t see a lot more of the exact same thing.

Chanel in particular has released a number of flap bags that come with their own rain coats in recent years, but other than a nylon tote here or there, most brands don’t take on the challenge of designing for bad weather. I live in a city that gets more inches of rain per year than Seattle, and I, for one, appreciate Valentino’s effort on behalf of those of us who experience real weather from time to time.

There’s one notable problem with this design if it’s supposed to be used in the rain – the top doesn’t zip shut, it merely has a magnetic snap in the middle. That won’t be of much help if there’s more than a little precipitation, but at least the exterior of the bag won’t permanently spot from the moisture like many similarly colored leathers.

The flowers that adorn the bag’s exterior are signature Valentino and very well done, but for the price, I’d just buy one of the brand’s many beautifully detailed leather bags and carry a collapsible nylon tote in the bottom to shield it from sudden precipitation. Hopefully, though, more designers will take on the rain-resistent challenge and we’ll soon have more options when the weather forecast isn’t perfect. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $2145.