Genderless-kei bags and backpacks: do you know Anello?

The people of Osaka have a brand new bag.

Trend-setting backpack and tote bag brand Anello recently opened their global flagship store in our lovely city. It’s the first official shop in Japan, following a long list of stores in Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Anell-who? We’ll tell you

The brand concept couldn’t get more Japanese if it tried. This is the exact wording from the Anello website:

CREATED TO IMPROVE LIFE
GOOD FOR ALL SEASONS

anello® was born in 2005, meaning of ‘annual rings’ in Italian.
Under the concept of ‘not too particular’ ‘having a little points’ ‘wanting intuitionally’,
we are aiming to manufacturing without any limit of fad/gender/age.
We have many designs for especially
backpacks/materials for various situations.
anello® is and getting so many fans around the world and growing as a global brand.
We keep overlaying the annual rings and creating better goods.

You’ll see those first 2 ALL CAPS statements on almost every Anello bag (if it fits).

There’s a bag out there for everyone

The unisex/genderless style’s a winning one, fashionable in Japan and more likely to last.

Anello’s even got a page on their English-language site explaining why people of all ages love their bags. No spoilers: it’s a cute story that’s worth a read. You might end up wanting an Anello bag even more.

Some items are still labeled as for ‘men’ or ‘women’, but many are just grouped by the type of bag. When we wrote this, Anello already made:

• Backpacks
• Shoulder bags
• Tote bags
• Clutch bags
• Boston bags

And that list’s probably grown by now.

The limited ‘Anello’ printed 2-way canvas tote bag was released to celebrate the first Japanese store opening. It’s got a unique design – not many brands could pull this off, and we mean that. What’s the first thing you notice?

The ‘o’ in ‘Anello’ acts as a bag handle! Such a simple thing, but so clever.

Making every bag in loads of colours is also a great move. Sometimes, the basic ‘black/grey/brown’ options don’t cut it. The weirder versions have more personality. There’s no way you’d confuse an Anello with another type of bag if it’s in these colours.

If you’re in the mood for a turquoise bag, or fire engine red, or whatever, you know Anello’s got you covered. And you’ll stand out.

They’ve paid attention to fashion and function

Speaking from our own experiences… we’ve seen Anello bags everywhere for a while now.

The Americamura (Amemura) bit of Osaka’s where fashion-conscious kids spend their weekends. For months, bag shops in the area have had their Anello stock front and centre in displays. On the train, queuing in shops, and walking down the street, we’ve spotted these bags on plenty of backs.

Backpacks are the most popular style so far. The leading backpack design from the range is Anello’s own, a shape you’ll start to recognise.

It’s slim but deep, designed to hold A4-size files and more. You might not think so to look at it, but that’s a deliberate optical illusion by Anello. From the outside, it looks slimline and compact. On the inside, it’s got a generous amount of room.

The double handles at the top look more like a tote bag or bowling bag, and the zip’s only on top instead of curving all the way round. Some are made in sturdy canvas, and some are soft leather. Many designs have contrasting colours/patterns, like pink & purple, or beige & flowers.

The iconic Anello backpack really does fit the genderless-kei look. Yeah, even the pineapple one – if you feel like you’d rock it, more power to you.

Say hello to Anello

The flagship Osaka store’s likely to be followed by other Anello shops in Japan. You can also find Anello bags and backpacks on DEJAPAN. We’ll help you buy in English, with no commission, for global delivery.