The Boatkin, a new handbag, marries the design of the Hermès Birkin and the material of L.L. Bean’s Boat and Tote.
Hop aboard a Hampton Jitney bus or a ferry to Nantucket this summer and you will probably see some L.L. Bean Boat and Totes, or maybe even an Hermès Birkin. You might also spot a new bag that looks like the child of those two: the Boatkin.
Introduced in January by Hathaway Hutton, a brand in Philadelphia, Boatkins are made of canvas — some from old Boat and Totes — and have a shape and hardware similar to those of Birkins.
“Quiet luxury with a smirk” is how Hathaway Hutton’s founder, Jen Risk, described the bag. “I wanted to mess with the seriousness of it all and give it some personality.”
Ms. Risk, 41, a self-taught sewer who started her brand in 2017, has positioned herself as a sort of Dr. Frankenstein of luxury goods: She has sold hand-painted Goyard totes and pool attire made of vintage Hermés beach towels. The Boatkin bag is her newest creation, and is among the latest accessories to borrow some of the Birkin’s clout. See: Telfar’s Shopping Bag, also known as the “Bushwick Birkin”; the design collective MSCHF’s “Birkinstock” sandals; and Slow and Steady Wins the Race’s four-sided Birkin replica.
Each Boatkin is made in a work space at Ms. Risk’s home, she said, a process that can take up to 10 hours. (A Birkin, by comparison, can take more than 18 hours to make, while a Boat and Tote can be stitched together in under 10 minutes.) Boatkins made from Boat and Totes provided by customers start at about $1,200; versions made with materials sourced by Ms. Risk, at about $1,600. She has sold more than 300 bags since introducing the style.
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