Designist Dream

As you may recall, I love my Gitta bag diaper bag. Love it, love it, love it. The color, the design, the fabric, the inside organization. I sing its praises practically every day, as I sling what’s become more my bag than Tz’s diaper bag over my shoulder and head down Israel’s busy streets. And just as the music’s blasting in my head as I joyfully skip down the street, Gitta in tow, it all comes crashing down. For dramatic effect, imagine that horrible car breaking sound or record rewinding scratch they play on tv, ruining my blissful moment.

I run straight into a Minene bag. Minene bags are a snazzy diaper bag. Their ingenuity lies in their divide and conquer approach: the diaper bag is essentially comprised of four compartments of varying sizes that all interlock. The main square-shaped diaper bag (#1 below) is a large sized bag, with two backpack straps on the back and two key ring clasps on the front. And from there it gets tricky. The smaller square-shaped “satchel” bag (#2 below) clips onto the two key rings on bag #1 but also has its own backpack straps. The rectangular shaped messenger bag (#3 below) is a stand-alone bag with inner and outer pockets for storage - but also doubles as an insert within the #1 larger backpack. And then clutch-style purse #4 hooks onto the clasps of the #1 larger backpack, doubles as a wallet-type insert for valuables, or triples as an evening handbag. All that versatility is wearing me out.

Just think of the possibilities:

Scenario 1, you’re bringing the kids over to your in-laws. Each gets a backpack to fill with their pj’s, favorite toys, books, etc. The shoulderbag contains any important pacifiers, wipes, diapers, creams, formula, bottles, you name it. You say goodnight to the lot of them and head out with your hubby for a romantic night out - your stylish clutch as disconnected from the rest of your Minene bags as your mindset should be. Oh, what a dream.

Scenario 2: You’re headed for a quick trip to the mall with your baby and just need one diaper, one bottle, and some snacks. You grab the smaller backpack (#2) to strap onto the stroller, fill the clutch (#4) with your wallet stuff and use the shoulder bag as your own. Genius, no?

Now for the important information, the bag costs around $130 and comes in an array of colors and pattern combinations that range from denim with flowers to green leather with pucci-style prints or grey matte vinyl with waves. I personally like the black, brown or denim with colorful patterns but that brings me to the only drawback of the Minene: it isn’t as male-friendly or unisex as the Gitta. But then again, that’s also a plus for us ladies no? Specially designed for our plentiful needs.

And as for the diaper bag showdown, the only question that remains is whether Gitta is unveiling some new diaper bags at this weekend’s fmarket designer fashion market in Tel Aviv. Stay tuned for updates!