By Bag Snob Tina on April 10, 2012 9:00 am Tina Craig

Designer Monica Botkier has always marched to the stylish beat of her own bag’s drum. It’s an interesting move for her to go up-market, when everyone else is scrambling to do high-street collaborations or creating bridge lines.
After acknowledging that Monica’s core-line prices have gone down a lot, she realized there are a lot of customers out there who “want to splurge on exotics and dynamic pieces but will not want to stretch into the thousands” in order to do so. I, for one, think there is a lack of good bags at the $1,000 mark. (Remember when Prada bags were $800?! I do.)
“I was inspired looking into the Botkier archives at some of those really special pieces,” Monica told me, “and it hit me that there is still a void.”
Her namesake collection consists of eight styles, including the revamped Misha, a black striated water-snake shoulder style in jewel-tones of emerald, burgundy, and dark ($895) violet. The explosive Marlow is brand-new: shearling-accentuated clutches ($845), crossbodys ($895), and satchels ($995) that will make a statement come fall.
“The stylish yet pragmatic woman wants the statement piece for everyday with her Botkier, but there is room for that extra special exotic by Monica Botkier Collection that won’t break the bank.” I couldn’t agree more – this could be a stroke of genius for the contemporary bag designer.
Available in September at Botkier.