Opinion

That was certainly the case when I gifted myself a teeny, tiny Gucci purse that — I’m not kidding — isn’t big enough to hold my cellphone. It’s a brown, firm clutch covered in that classic double-G pattern, with a tiger head clasp to help you snap it closed. I love it, but I have to confess that the overpriced-for-its-size-to-cost-ratio purse doesn’t tell anyone a thing about me. Not once has anyone stopped me while toting this tiny thing around; no one sees it and feels inspired to strike up a conversation with me.

So, I expected the same when I got the smallest-size Telfar Shopping Bag in “Bubblegum” pink. But unlike Gucci or, really, any other big-name luxury brand, it has unexpectedly opened up so many spaces for organic Black joy and connection.

Advertisement

Let me tell you what I mean. Oprah has one in purple. Beyoncé's white Telfar bag inspired a woman I met two weeks ago to get the same one. Solange, Zoe Kravitz, Lil Nas X, Selena Gomez and AOC carry them around, too. If you see one out in the wild (bars, airports, the office, your Instagram timeline, the subway!), it’s an instant connection. One that you don’t keep to yourself. The words basically burst right out of me — and I’ve heard it from so many other people of color, too: “LOVE your Telfar.” “Okay, I see you, Telfar!” It’s basically obligatory to share which size and color you have, or those you want to snatch up next. Recently, a co-worker, also a woman of color, stopped me to talk about it. It has happened more times than I can count.

The Shopping Bag is offered in three sizes and so many delightful colors: a “Margarine” yellow, “Corned Beef” mauve, “Highlighter” green. I’ll find myself gently touching the faux leather every now and then just to reconfirm it’s as soft as it looks. The embossed logo — a T inside a C, inspired by the eponymous designer’s initials — is nearly invisible to most, but for the real ones, it evokes something of a spiritual symbol at this point. There are also the long, thin straps that hug your shoulder and make the bag a hands-free companion. Straps that are ready to be twisted and turned and tucked just so in the warmth of our palms. And don’t get me started on the massive zippered pocket in the medium and large bags. So much room for activities.

But the “Bushwick Birkin” is more than just a designer bag — it’s the creation of Telfar Clemens, who is Black and queer. It’s an open invitation for acceptance, and one that has helped me overcome my struggle to really feel comfortable in my own........

© Washington Post