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Braun Büffel launches Kath, a youthful reinterpretation of an archival staple, and invites artists to have fun with it.

- CARMEN SIN

Braun Büffel, the German leather house renowned for its timeless, classic bags, is shaking things up. In April, it launched the Kath bag. A redesign of an archival staple, it comes in a fetching, trim circle, a little larger than small. At rest, atop its round body, the trimmings of its two zips resemble two halves of a bow, imbuing the bag with the cute charisma of a gift box. But its sensibility is far from quaint. Surprisingly modular, its versatile straps mean the bag may be carried in three ways: as a shoulder bag, a clutch and a top-handle carry. The handle also carries a secret whimsy; thin and stiff, it can double as a stand, propping up the body of the bag so that it assumes the shape of a vintage tabletop vanity mirror—a delicious tribute to its roots.