FANTASY SHOPPING . . .

If you are fed up with extortionately priced bags from a certain design house then you have nada to worry about. This isn't cheap - this is fantasy shopping after all - but at least it's leather and not every Tom, Dick and Chelsea will have one. It's by Aquascutum, whose accessories get better each season. Much more stylish than some syntho rucksack or shopper-type handbag, this model would not have looked out of place swinging off the arm of Jackie O. And you can stuff quite a bit in. It reminds me of the Alitalia bags in which they used to pack the in-flight meals (we then used them for carrying school books) but, of course, this one is very much more fabulous. AB

Aquascutum "Signature" handbag made from calf leather, pounds 350 also available in red, black and buttermilk from 100 Regent Street, London W1, tel: 0800 282922