Lady Dior Mini

The mini keeps everything: the structured frame, the arched top handles and the D.I.O.R. charms.

Patent leather turns the quilting glossy and almost lacquered, and red is the color that suits it best: deep, saturated, unmistakable across a room. It measures 6.5 inches wide, 6 high and 3 deep, enough for a phone, a card holder and a lipstick. A chain strap with a 22-inch drop lets it go on the shoulder or crossbody when you need your hands.

It is made for special occasions and evenings. Pair it with black velvet, with a white shirt and black trousers, or with a red lip and nothing else bright. Patent shrugs off a splash of champagne better than lambskin does. A season with it will tell you whether you are a red-bag person, though most people suspect they already know.