I first heard about Telfar over the summer and immediately was intrigued and interested in the company and its popular shopping bag. I quickly figured out it was also nearly impossible to get my hands on the shopping bag. As soon as the bag restocked on the Telfar website it would sell out almost immediately. In July, the company shut down their website because they found out several bots were hoarding all the sales and selling the popular bags aftermarket for steeply inflated prices. Today, the company launched a program called the Telfar Bag Security Program. It’s a 24 hour window that allows anybody from anywhere to pre-order the shopper in the size and color of their choosing! To pre-order a bag click here.
THE PROGRAM DETAILS
For 24 hours ONLY (clock starts ticking on Wednesday, August 19 at 9AM) you can buy any bag size and color that you want and it will be manufactured just for you! It will take approximately 6 month for that to happen (website says plan to receive your bag no later than mid January). Customers must pay full price up front for the bag, including shipping and the bag. No refunds, changes or cancellations. Don’t worry, the worst part will be the wait, but the bag is being made JUST FOR YOU, so totally worth it. Of course, you can take your chances with buying through the drops but trust me, I’ve tried…many times…and I still don’t have a bag! If I missed anything, get more details about the program here.
ABOUT THE BAG
IDENTITY VS STATUS – The Telfar shopping bag (commonly called the Telfar bag) is a unisex 100% vegan tote embossed with the brand’s round logo on the side. It has double straps, a magnetic closure and a secret compartment on the inside. Telfar has been making the bag since 2014 but only recently gained a cult like popularity. The Telfar bag is not an “IT” purse because it provides a sense of wealth to own it or is a status symbol to have one. Quite the contrary, the bag is about supporting a fashion underdog. The bag is the signature product of a Black owned company that states on its website “the bag ain’t new—it’s the world that changed”. In a time where consumers are more aware and consciously thinking about the intersection of shopping and racial justice is exactly why the bag represents identity and experience and not wealth and privilege.
COST OF BAG
Unlike high end fashion purses that cost five to ten times what a Telfar shopper sells for these bags are available in several colors and come in small, medium and large. They range from $150 – $260. The bags come in the following colors:
COLORS OF BAGS
- Black (matching interior)
- White (matching interior)
- Tan (a rusty tan with matching interior)
- Oxblood (dark deep red with matching interior) **THE COLOR I ORDERED**
- Dark Olive (navy interior)
- Orange
- Red
- Gray (matching interior)
- Yellow (matching interior)
- Navy
- Cream
- Pool Blue
- Bubblegum Pink
- Cobalt
- Gold
- Silver
- Copper
SIZES OF BAGS
The sizes of the bags are below. I pre-ordered the bag in a size medium in the oxblood color. The medium will fit my 13 inch laptop and all my other essentials. Great size for daily use. The large is very large. Would be used more for a weekend getaway then an every day use bag.
- SMALL the party bag: Width: 6.625 in | Depth: 3.125 in | Height: 4.75 in | Strap Length: 21 in
- MEDIUM the everyday bag that fits a 13-inch laptop: Width: 15 in | Depth: 5 in | Height: 10.75 in | Strap Length: 21 in
- LARGE the weekend trip bag: Width: 19.25 in | Depth: 8 in | Height: 14.25 in | Strap Length: 21 in