5 R29 Editors, 5 Cities, 5 Must-Have Bags

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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If there’s any time in our lives when it’s cool to have our roots showing, it’s our hometown roots. Our editors are scattered across the globe, and the zip codes they represent not only manifest themselves in the content of their posts but also in their points of view, their personal styles, and — obviously — what’s in their closets.

And, the exclusive Refinery29 for DKNY collaboration channels all the things we love about their cities — New York City, Washington D.C., Miami, London, and L.A. — into a super-chic, way-sharp collection of practical, versatile, trend-proof bags that’ll fit seamlessly into your closet (no residency required!). Ahead, we asked the five editors who inspired each bag to tell us a little bit about what makes their home cities the best of the bunch.

1

Emily London — London editor 

How many years have you lived in your city? 
“I was born in London and have lived here my whole life, bar the three years I spent in L.A. when I was little!” 

The three spots you frequent most:
“I love hanging out in Brixton Village. The sheer variety of fantastic places to eat there is astounding. You’ll normally find me in the queue for a Franca Manca pizza or having a flat white at Rosie’s Deli Café. I love to be by the river, too. I like to go to the BFI on the Southbank to check out what films are showing and then head on to the Cut in Waterloo. It’s a great road where you can find fun places to eat and drink, and nearby is a fantastic vintage shop called Radio Days that is always worth a gander. I do spend a lot of time in East London. I always have a good time at Power Lunches on the Kingsland Road. I’ve seen some amazing bands play there.”

2

If you could describe the vibe of your city in five words, what would it be? 
“Diverse, dynamic, evolving, experimental, cool.” 

What about the bag makes it so London? 
“What makes the bag so “London” is the playful mix of colour and texture. The red leather and black lace adds punch to a look. During the day, I like to knot the strap around my wrist and tuck it under my arm. It totally gives my everyday uniform of shift dress, statement brogues, and a peacoat a style upgrade. In the evening, I throw it over my shoulder and swap my coat for a leather biker. It’s that versatility that makes it so London.” 

What are the five things you always carry in your bag? 
“There are WAY more than five things that I carry around in my bag! I always seem to have at least three lipsticks of varying shades of red, my travel card, my glasses, Trebor extra-strong mints (I can’t leave the flat without them), and my flat keys. Oh, and loads and loads of hairbands…”

R29 for DKNY London Clutch, $265, available at R29 Shops.

Photographed by Bek Anderson.

3

Brenna Egan — L.A. editor 

How many years have you lived in your city? 
“Twelve.” 

The three spots you frequent most: 
“I hit Griffith Park for early morning hikes at least three times a week. I haven’t even bothered owning a gym membership in years — who wants to feel like a gerbil on the treadmill when the panorama of our city at the peak is such a tasty workout dessert? 

Abbot Kinney is my Saturday haven for brunch, biking, and browsing. Then, off to the beach for a mag fest, no matter the temp! 

Every morning, I hit Beverly Hills Juice for the Apple Lemon Double Ginger. It’s crazy spicy and instantly kicks me into high gear for all of those upcoming deadlines.” 

If you could describe the vibe of your city in five words, what would it be? 
“Proudly flying our freak flags.”

4

What about the bag makes it so L.A.?
“We’re lucky in Lala to have extra storage in our cars, so we don’t have to tote around everything but the kitchen sink in our bags. This clutch is perfect for nights out on the town when all you need is your phone, a tube of lipstick, and your plastic! Plus, the design and shape allows it to work with glitzy garb, and the casual fabric deems it cool for denim and a tee, too. 

What are the five things you always carry in your bag?
Lipstick, a mini bottle of perfume, change for the meters, my LACMA card (I love impromptu museum visits), and my ID/plastic. 

R29 for DKNY L.A. Clutch, $195, available at R29 Shops.

Photographed by Ashley Barrett

5

Holly Thomas — Washington, D.C. 

How many years have you lived in your city?
“Twelve, including college.” 

The three spots you frequent most: 
“Eastern Market for stocking up on fresh, local food and affordable jewelry; 14th Street for window-shopping; the ‘burbs for great thrifting.” 

If you could describe the vibe of your city in five words, what would it be? 
“Ambitious, put-together, multi-tasking, cultured, savvy.”

6

What about the bag makes it so D.C.? 
“Definitely the functionality — I LOVE that it converts from a shoulder bag to a crossbody, which makes it perfect for running around the city but still looking polished when you arrive. It’s a classic, ladylike bag, but the splash of yellow makes it a little fun and unexpected.” 

What are the five things you always carry in your bag? 
“A SmartTrip card for commuting around town; packable flats for long walks; a rosy-hued lip balm for days when there’s no time to reapply lipstick; hair elastics for our freakishly warm, muggy days; business cards.”

R29 for DKNY Washington D.C. Crossbody, $305, available at R29 Shops.

Photographed by Sebastian Marin

7

Annie Georgia Greenberg — New York editor 

How many years have you lived in your city? 
“Six blissful years.” 

The three spots you frequent most: 
“The Bean, Zabb Elee, Soul Cycle.” 

If you could describe the vibe of your city in five words, what would it be? 
“Fast, fierce, frantic, fashion-forward.”

8

What about the bag makes it so NYC? 
“The bag is very NYC because it’s sleek and practical. The dream about the Big Apple really holds true on a small scale every day — you never know what can happen (!!) — so it’s always best to come prepared. Its minimalistic but holds a lot, so it’ll last from day to night (it also happens to go great with the NYC uniform — all black!).” 

What are the five things you always carry in your bag? 
“Red lipstick, sunglasses, small notebook, a metrocard, tiger balm.” 

R29 for DKNY NYC Backpack, $395, available at R29 Shops.

Photographed by Bek Anderson.

9

Leila Brillson — Miami

The three spots you frequent most:
“Well, for me, the best place to see live music is Bardot, which always has some of the best acts in town. I don’t frequent it the most, but being in The Webster is like being in a museum. It doesn’t make me bummed I can’t afford anything in there — it makes me feel like I’m looking at fashion history.”

If you could describe the vibe of your city in five words, what would it be?
“Neon-flavored electricity and DIY luxury.”

10

What about the bag makes it so Miami?“Well, obviously, it’s bright orange! Aside from that, however, thanks to the heat and the vibrant nature of the city, you want to be able to be as compact as possible without being forced to leave anything behind, so a swingy shoulder bag makes the most sense. Also, Miami is THE town for flair, so the dynamic little tassel is right up our alley.”

What are the five things you always carry in your bag?
“SUNGLASSES. A Tide to-go pen, Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, sunglasses, L’Oréal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream (for a good SPF pick-up throughout the day), a matte powder with SPF (like Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Ready Foundation), and…did I mention sunglasses?”

R29 for DKNY Miami Mini Crossbody, $245, available at R29 Shops.

Photographed by Bek Anderson.

Click HERE to read more from Refinery29.

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