On an overcast winter day in Stockholm, our features editor Allyson Shiffman took the instantly iconic C-ME Lock bag and C-Everyday pumps by Italian heritage leather brand Coccinelle for a test spin. Spoiler alert: She's obsessed
Perhaps you’ve seen the Coccinelle C-ME Lock bag slung over the shoulder of a Danish It girl or tucked under the arm of a Swedish taste-maker. It’s no surprise the Italian heritage brand’s new signature – with its pleasing shape and unmistakable “C" lock detail – gels with the Scandinavian aesthetic; it is, after all, the very embodiment of timeless elegance and thoughtful minimalism. In fact, the bag is so alluring, I couldn’t resist test-driving one myself. But I couldn’t stop there; I also got my hands on the brand’s C-Everyday pump; a classic shoe with a signature chunky glass heel in tortoiseshell.
The bag was first introduced in September, at the brand’s SS26 presentation at Acquario Civico di Milano. It was a fitting location; the collection, called “Her Deepness”, draws inspiration from the AMA women, a centuries-old community of Japanese women better known as the “women of the sea” (named as such due to their pearl-diving).
Coccinelle's SS26 campaiign featuring the C-ME Lock Bag.
Testing out the bag myself outside the Vogue Scandinavia offices.
The first thing I notice about the C-ME Lock is its extraordinary construction. But that should be no surprise. Coccinelle has been crafting leather goods since it was founded in 1978 in Sala Baganza in the Parma Hills (the region is known for its excellent craftsmanship, not to mention its culinary prowess). Not only are the pieces – the C-ME Lock included – aesthetically on-point, they’re also crafted with practicality in mind.
Take for instance the bag’s size; large enough to fit my on-the-go essentials (including sunglasses, despite the weather) yet small enough to transition from day to evening. Then there’s that signature C lock, which opens and closes effortlessly, with a satisfying click. I paired my C-ME Lock (I opted for black for maximum timelessness, but it comes in an array of covetable hues, including a deliciously unexpected lemon lime colourway) with an appropriately office-to-cocktails look; relaxed grey trousers, and a trusty leather bomber jacket. On its first wear, it already feels like an item I’ve owned forever; the sort of grab-and-go staple to suit any occasion.
The C-Everyday pumps elevate a casual look. Photo: Kristian Bengtsson
Photo: Kristian Bengtsson
Then came the shoes. I will out myself as not necessarily a pumps person, but something about the sculptural shape and substantial heel of the C-Everyday speaks to me. I styled mine with gentle bootcut jeans and a denim shirt I’ve head in my closet for years, topped with a navy cashmere sweater. The contrast of textures in the look is instantly satisfying and the pumps elevate an otherwise casual outfit into something unexpectedly chic. Plus, they’re surprisingly – almost impossibly – comfortable given their height.
Both the bag and the shoes feel distinctly “me” but better; an elevated more polished version of myself. Yes, Coccinelle is right at home here in Scandinavia, specifically in my closet.
