Feline and floral accents dress up Japan’s iconic schoolbags.
Part of what makes the design of Japan’s randoseru backpacks so iconic is how they blend stylishness, utility, and playfulness. Being crafted with high-quality leather and metal fittings lends them an air of sophistication, and all those pockets and compartments to keep everything organized gives them a visual sense of purpose too. The combination of boxy sides with a curved cover, though, keeps them from feeling too serious, since it’s a shape with a dash of silly cuteness too.
However, if you’re looking for a randoseru that tips the balance a little further towards the adorable aspects, you’ll be happy to know that there are randoseru with cat ears.
Randoseru are designed to be carried by Japanese elementary school kids, but just these cat-eared one are actually from French fashion company Paul & Joe. While the adorable ears are the first thing to catch the eye, lower down on the cover you’ll spot the kitty’s whiskers and nose, right above the claps which slides into a ribbon to lock the piece in place.
The model is called the Chrysanthème Chat Randoseru, with the French portion translation to “chrysanthemum cat.” The flower shows up as a fabric pattern motif in various places, including the inner service of the cover flap and along the edge of the zippered pocket…
…and there are cats and chrysanthemums together on the zipper pulls.
Again, since randoseru are used in Japan as elementary school kids’ backpacks, they’re compact compared to regular adult-size bags, with the Chrysanthème Chat listed as 31 centimeters (12.2-inches) at its tallest/longest point. They can still hold quite a bit of stuff, though, as the photos below show.
▼ The four colors in the Chrysanthème Chat lineup
Because the same bag is meant to be used for all six years of elementary school, randoseru ordinarily don’t come cheap, and being produced by a fashionable French brand means these ones aren’t particularly with being budget-friendly even within that sphere, coming in at 88,000 yen (US$595) through randosru retailer Shifffon, but there’s no denying how cute they are, and if that price feels right to you they can be ordered online here.
Source: PR Times
Images: Shiffon
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