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Logos are everything for some fashion fans, but for every proud owner of Balenciaga’s Hourglass bag (a Kim Kardashian favorite), or Jacquemus’s Le Grand Bambino (Dua Lipa’s holiday staple), there’s someone who prefers the quiet luxury of The Row’s Half Moon style.
Modeled on sleek silhouettes from the ’90s, the ergonomic curved design fits discreetly under the shoulder without so much as a bulge. Deceptively capacious – depending on the size of your iPhone – the suede-lined inner contrasts the Italian leather outer, which is embossed with the tiniest brand stamp you’re likely to ever witness. Blink and you’ll miss it–that’s the whole point.
The mini model is emblematic of the stealth-wealth style Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have cultivated since founding The Row in 2006. Starting with the perfect T-shirt, the designers went on to build an achingly cool minimalist wardrobe that editors fell over themselves for – at a price. That shoppers are willing to part with thousands is proof of The Row’s quality and execution. From the tailoring—the backbone of the brand—to the shirting—an entry-point product for new admirers, like Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber—the sisters nail louche silhouettes that look immaculately put-together. It’s hard to balance effortless volume with polish but the Olsens, despite having no formal training, make it look like a breeze.
The Row’s loyal fan club, which fittingly includes Zoë Kravitz (the much-appreciated purveyor of undone chicness in the perpetual absence of the Olsen twins in the street style space), Jennifer Lawrence (particularly partial to, in addition to the Half Moon bag, the brand’s roomy wool trousers and jeans, along with its effortlessly totable crossbody Banana bag, according to the No Hard Feelings actor’s wardrobe in just recent weeks), and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (who’s handbag collection also includes The Row’s Arlo and Isla bags), is made up of customers who dipped a first tentative toe into the brand’s pared-back world via the footwear and bags categories. Every member owns the zip-front leather ankle boots, and either the N/S tote or the Half Moon bag. While Manhattanites lugging their life around prefer the former, models like the retro-leaning look of the micro bag.
It’s become a status symbol to show that you’re composed enough to leave the house with only an envelope-sized receptacle to house your essentials (see EmRata, who pairs her Half Moon bag with cowboy boots, and is a master of this), and The Row majors in these elevated basics that speak volumes. Naturally, it’s this cubed baguette the likes of Lori Harvey grab ahead of a private pilates class, or that Sophie Turner would keep perched conveniently perched on her shoulder, out shopping in West Village with Joe Jonas, or that Elsa Hosk would style with a dainty sundress on a leisurely day.
Testament to its status as the insider’s It-bag of choice is the fact that consignment sites are selling the Half Moon for more than its new $1,450 price tag. “The Row is one of those brands that feels very collectable,” says Erica Wright, who helps buyers track down Half Moons via her fashion sourcing app, Sourcewhere. “Not only are you buying into something long-lasting, but you’re also becoming part of a community that has a very in-the-know quality about it. It’s a little like an unspoken members club, and wearing one of their pieces gives you insider access to it.”
While its louder counterparts will become relics of a specific period, the beauty of the Half Moon is that it could have been on the scene in the ’90s, and it would still hold its value as a classic piece. That the silhouette was first unveiled with the brand’s Fall 2014 collection, and continues to be coveted in unison by every fashion-forward socialite or model like a new release is telling. “The Half Moon bag already feels like it’s a part of your wardrobe,” agrees Wright. “The lack of logos, patterns, and bright colorways make it a risk-free investment. Shoppers today place less importance on what’s ‘new,’ and more on how timeless and rare pieces are.” With the Half Moon likely to creep up in value on second-hand platforms, it really is a safe bet – perhaps even in the same pool as, say, the Chanel 2.55. Just don’t expect Mary-Kate and Ashley to start shouting about it.