Summer's Must-Have Barn Tote Is Striped, Spacious—and $1,350
The Row is best known for serious neutrals and $690 flip-flops, but the breakout bag celebrities can't stop carrying signals an aesthetic shift.
I tapped into luxury fashion sourcer Gab Waller's Instagram Stories on Tuesday night to discover what The Row's most ardent collectors must have spent days or weeks dreaming of. The striped mesh shopper known as the Barn Tote—large enough to hold a beach towel and summer read, or just a laptop—had been acquired and was ready for purchase right away. Inventory: only one available.
"Has this been snapped up already?" I asked the team managing the business account. Hardly a minute later, someone named Noam replied, "Yes." They added, when I followed up, that the bag was only in stock for a few hours. I wasn't surprised.
Gab Waller's luxury sourcing business had tracked down one of The Row's sold-out Barn Totes on July 8. It was claimed by a shopper within hours.
The Barn Tote is rising in the rankings of The Row's most sought-after items. It's a beachy shift from the brand's usual all-leather bags, defined by vertical stripes in summer pastels and a thick leather strap. Although the description says it's mesh, it is fully opaque. Like most items from the label, it commands a four-figure price: $1,350. That hasn't stopped interest; it's already sold out.
Any item's first stop on its way to It-status is a celebrity closet. The Barn Tote has already appeared in at least three. Kylie Jenner packed hers along with a $300,000 Birkin Faubourg and a rare Kelly for vacation in Saint-Tropez. Her sister, Kendall, carried the same style while shopping at a Chloé boutique on the same trip. (Considering how coveted the bag already is, I suspect they each own their own.) Back in New York City, Zoë Kravitz proved its everyday carry-ability while she toted it with a blank tank top and The Row flip-flops on an errand run.
Like The Row's often-debated Dune and City flip-flops, the Barn Tote dials up a seemingly simple, everyday item—in this case, the reusable shopping bag—to a luxurious degree. Shoppers are willing to pay a premium for the square mesh bag, even outside traditional sourcing channels. Someone uploaded their Barn Tote to Farfetch's resale marketplace and listed it for an astonishing $3,028—a 124 percent markup over the original. It still sold.
Kylie Jenner brought heaps of designer bags on vacation in Saint-Tropez, including The Row's sold-out Barn Tote.
Zoë Kravitz, an avid collector of The Row's bags and accessories, carried her Barn Tote in New York City with an all-black outfit. (Her sandals also came from The Row.)
The Row is currently Gab Waller's third-most requested designer, after the traditional French luxury giant Chanel and the prep-inspired styles at Miu Miu. But inquiries aren't just about the no-nonsense Margaux leather bags or all-neutral suiting typically associated with The Row. Like summer 2024's sold-out Mara jelly flats—most popular in a chili pepper red shade—the Barn Totes are "pieces that aren't screaming loud logo luxury, but still [have] this level of fun," Waller tells Marie Claire.
In this brand's hands, a set of stripes functions like an elite calling card in the same manner of an obvious monogram or embossed name. There's just enough color to suggest a new direction; and very limited inventory, making it exclusive. As a result, "The Barn Tote is constantly sold out, and my clients really want that bag," Waller says.
Kendall Jenner similarly paired The Row flip-flops with the label's Barn Tote.
All hope isn’t lost for those still searching for a Barn Tote. The patient among us can join The Row's waitlist for both striped versions. (Estimated arrival time: unknown for now.) Luxury sourcing services like Gab Waller's or the U.K.-based Sourcewhere can track down a lone tote still circulating within their network of sample sales, boutiques, and collectors.
For the same look in a fun-sized package, select retailers also offer mini versions of the Barn Tote. These are shrunk down to Kindle-and-wallet proportions, and they retail for just under $900. The Row also makes neutral, single-colored iterations for a more minimalist look and at an under-$1,000 price tag.
The tote's semi-faded stripes and all-around mesh are bound to trickle down into fast fashion brands soon. Meanwhile, The Row's most dedicated collectors are only satisfied if they can get the real thing. "Requests are continuing to pop off for the Barn Tote," Waller tells me in a follow-up email.
As her team continued scouring their network to connect shoppers with their dream bags, the luxury fashion expert even joined the list. "I'll admit I caved and secured one for myself."
