When the new Spring-Summer 2019 Massaccesi styles came out, I became immediately enchanted by beautiful new silhouettes, so welcoming of creative color-blocking -Aura, Saturn, Luna... Yet somehow, Calypso has passed under my radar. Nonetheless, as my luck would have it, a lovely fellow MM fan decided to let go of her pebbled Calypso from a sample collection. Seeing how I was on the market for a medium size blue bag, I could not resist. I am happy to report that it is a very enjoyable bag worthy of YOUR attention!
The leather!
MM aficionados are well familiar with the brand’s amazing collection of pebbled leathers. This leather is pretty heavy, but extremely durable – highly resistant to wear and even in lighter colors not vulnerable to color transfer. The Calypso I have is space blue/air force blue pebbled color-block version. Space blue is a beautiful delicate shade of light blue, bright enough to go well with summer outfits, yet still sufficiently muted for darker winter attire. Air force blue is a deeper color, with a distinct purple undertone. If you are looking for a navy colored leather, this shade is not for you, as it is not a pure dark blue. Together, these two colors work really well and give this bag a slightly sporty, yet elegant look, which is right up my alley style-wise. Additional and very MM lovely touches to this particular bag are silver hardware and blue lining, which complement and elevate both leather and the style.
The style!
Calypso is fairly minimalist in its design, with an adjustable, non-removable shoulder/crossbody strap and clean rounded lines. MM’s attention to detail shines in beautifully stitched strap attachments, reminiscent of Juliet midi top handle detailing, and of course a perfectly executed combination of differently colored leathers. While it will most likely soften with age, right now my Calypso stands proud on its four feet, yet has a delightful slouch when worn. Size-wise, Calypso seems like a second cousin of a highly popular MM style Theia midi. It has a slight E/W orientation, a top zipper that opens up wide for an easy access to contents, and a similar capacity. The inside organization is standard MM – 2 open slip pockets, one zippered pocket, key holders. For me, this bag is a perfect work/every day size, as I do not carry a laptop or paper folders on a regular basis. As usual, I stuffed this bag silly to see how much it can take, which turns out to be quite a lot! In the photo below it fits:
An iPad Air 2 9.7 inch in a protective case
A thick daily organizer
Large sunnies in a soft case
An 18 oz water bottle
A VH pouch with personal items
A VH small cardholder
A soft flat pouch for cash
A giant set of keys
My version of the bag came with an external back panel flat pocket with a magnetic closure, which can nicely fit an iPhone and a work ID. As you can see in the what fits photo, the bag is stuffed full, with the water bottle buried under everything else (it cannot fit standing up). Without the bottle, the rest fits just about right and can be easily accessed. I don’t have a Theia midi, so in my comparison photos I put a Calypso next to a Soulmate Midi in Africa, and a Little Minerva in nappa and tweed calf. Calypso is not a whole lot larger than Little Minerva, but it definitely fits a lot more. Soulmate midi is better suited for taller items (water bottle fits standing up) and fits a little more. Weight-wise, even in heavy pebbled leather, Calypso registers only at 1.5 lbs with a shoulder strap attached – for reference, my Africa Soulmate midi is 2.1 lbs without a crossbody strap. In lighter leathers like merinos or Tuscania, this bag can be a truly lightweight option.
Final thoughts!
Calypso deserves to become a go-to MM style for ladies looking to exercise their creative spirit with mixing colors and leather textures, yet still enjoying a light everyday style of great capacity. While this bag might be a touch too big for dates or going out, it is a fantastic size for a lighter work day, or exploring around town. The only thing I’d wish were different about this bag is a slightly shorter strap drop (to me, Minerva’s ~11 inch strap drop is comfort heaven), but that of course can be easily remedied. Overall, I am very pleased with this sweet bag and I look forward to making her my companion all year round!
Hope someone finds this review helpful!
Comentarios