Letter of Recommendation: The Garden Pouch I Plan to Use As a Purse

Sometimes it just takes a color, or a repositioning of a label, to elevate an item from great to need-to-have-now.

The new iteration of Niwaki’s classic pouch, part of a collaboration with the Newt in Somerset, is more covetable than even the ultimate tool bag. It’s my new purse, or as my mother used to call it, pocketbook. Or as Brits call it, handbag. Whichever, part of its appeal is that it can be diagonally strapped across the body and worn around town, without making one look like a tourist. It’s lightweight and flat, with a barely noticeable front pocket and two compartments that are lined with leather at the bottom to absorb the wear and tear of sharp tools. It’s an invisible detail that, along with the brass fastenings, guarantees longevity.

Like many of the Japanese accessories sold at Niwaki’s Chiltern Street store and its HQ in Dorset, the original pouch has long been popular with people who have no intention of gardening. The company’s branding, with a reliable colorway (tan, black, and red) and logo (bold), is instantly recognizable. The Newt uses army green, the kind of color that melts into its surroundings, and it’s perfect for canvas. But it’s the labelling on this limited edition Newt x Niwaki bag that does it for me; it’s hidden round the back. If you know, you know.

The Newt is a newer operation than Niwaki, having converted a country estate in Somerset within the last decade into a “working farm with rooms.” (You can read about my first visit to the propery here.) It is in the process of reinventing cider, a staple of England’s West Country and a local delicacy when sold at road stands outside farms, but more strongly associated with cheap thrills sold in oversized plastic bottles in supermarkets. The Newt’s founders also own the historic vineyard Babylonstoren in South Africa, and they apply a similar standard to the Newt’s “Fine Cyder.” In terms of luxury and hospitality, there is a confidence in the Newt’s offering that is mildly shocking to Brits. It’s understandable but still surprising to learn, that the Newt aligns itself not so much with other rural hotels and experiences in the UK but with the French fashion label, Hermès. Fortunately, the bag retails at a very reasonable £28.

For some insight into the Newt’s approach, take a look at the résumé of its head of creative, Atsushi Hasegawa. A UK resident of 10 years, Japan-born Atsushi describes himself as a fly-fishing instructor and vinyl DJ first. He “conjures activations” in terms of hospitality and events, but bag design is also something that he can do. It was his idea to reposition the logos to the back of the Newt x Niwaki tool bag, placing only a demure label on the front, with the message: “Cross-pollinated by the Newt Gardening Team and Niwaki.” As Niwaki founder Jake Hobson notes, almost everyone wears these bags back to front.

Already sold out at Niwaki’s Chiltern Street store, the pouch is still available to buy from The Newt.

See also:

• Object of Desire: Alitex Victorian Greenhouses
• Object of Desire: Hand-Sculpted Vases and Planters With a Dose of (Pretty) Savagery
• Object of Desire: Philippe Model’s Woven Terrace Furniture