I dropped the boys off at art class and was heading towards a cappuccino at my new favorite cafe in the old St. Johann rail station.
On my way to the cafe I walked through a boutique of locally-sourced, hipster-informed items like soaps in weird shapes, t-shirts with cool designs, postcards and travel bags.
And that was when I saw It.
As some women are with shoes or handbags, I am with backpacks/travel bags. I love new designs, different material, special straps, hidden pockets, cool zippers. A well made travel bag spells freedom and possibilities and offers the ability to transport your most important possessions comfortably with maximum access to what you need when you need it. That’s more than a bag, it’s a philosophy for better living.
Basic black, cool straps, nice zipper lines. There were two plastic bars that ran the length of top of the bag, allowing it to be twisted against itself and cinched closed to make the bag smaller when you had less stuff inside and didn’t want things shifting about. The inside was old-school messenger bag yellow with a small sack built into the bottom.
I tried it on and it felt good. The material was graded for serious mountain hiking. But the good looks said trip to Paris or London.
And so I acquired my Merkmal. It turned out the company’s founder/designer has his workshop right above the store, which was a bonus.
Do many people have what I have? No. Does that make it exclusive? Of course. Will Brad, Angelina, Scarlett and others soon be spotted around the globe with Merkmals? Maybe. But I was there first.
To Get Yours:
Go for the cappuccino, leave with the Merkmal. Restaurant/Cafe Buffet and Showroom Basel. Vogesenplatz 1. St. Johann Rail Station.