Dear Reader,

I’ve always had a passion for great design and high-quality materials, and when the two come together, I can’t help but get completely hooked. Well, that just happened (lucky me!) and I can’t wait to share the latest find with you all! My designer bag collection runs the entire gambit all the way up to Hermès, but one of my favorite American design houses is Dooney & Bourke. Not every Dooney & Bourke is created equal, but when Dooney gets it right, they get it right! And this time is no exception.

In case you missed it (though I’m not sure how, but alright!), I’ll link the video here where I unboxed—well, revealed—my new Dooney & Bourke Pebble Grain 20 Crossbody. And let me tell you, this bag is almost absolute perfection!

Dooney & Bourke Pebble Grain actually started out in 1983 as All-Weather-Leather or AWL, and thus the duck was born. AWL is aptly named due to the tanning process which makes it nearly impervious to rain and snow. One of my all-time favorite bags in my collection is my vintage AWL Large Essex in the color Bone. The enduring quality of this bag is absolutely mind-blowing, and the quality is superb. Some people collect vintage Coach, I collect vintage AWL Dooney & Bourke with it’s classic American style which makes it look right at home no matter what region you’re in.

Leather Quality:

Now a lot has changed since 1983, and Dooney Pebble Grain is no exception. Sadly, this leather is no longer made in the USA like it’s vintage counterparts, but it is sourced from the Tuscan hillsides of Italy. This cowhide is a full grain embossed leather milled for a pebble-y grain and soft hand-feel. This leather is gorgeous! If you’re familiar with Togo from Hermes, Dooney’s Pebble Grain is very similar in hand-feel (obviously more engineered than Hermès leathers, but a similar feel). Dooney & Bourke Pebble Grain is also semi-aniline finished and then milled to a thickness of 1.8-2.0 mm. This is helpful with the weight- if I could tell you how heavy my Essex is once it’s full, you’d understand how heavy pebble grain leather can get!

The Bad:

As much as I love this bag, the trim is my least favorite part. The trim on this bag is a vegetable tanned cowhide also sourced from Italy. This trim leather is milled to a 3.0-3.2 mm thickness and has a full-aniline finish. My biggest complaint, the trim that runs around the flap is cut into 3 different pieces and bunches up around the curves of the flap. You can see that issue in the photo of me modeling the bag up above. On my vintage Essex, one continuous piece of trims wraps all the way around the bag and only meets at the bottom to close the loop. It would appear that in this regard, the vintage version was more expertly crafted. Also, the strap on my new bag made of the same trim leather, and only truly finished on the top side of the strap, as opposed to my vintage AWL which is finished on both sides of the strap. However, at it’s current price of $188 (that’s full price, I only paid $64.99 at the outlet), I would consider this bag a good buy.

Interior:

Now this bag is tiny, in fact, almost teeny tiny. Do not buy this bag if you’re expecting to be able to carry everything and the kitchen sink. If you’re like me, and just want a nice under-the-radar crossbody to carry on the weekends, well then, let’s talk business. What’s the interior on this bag all about?

The interior of this bag is small but mighty. The interior lining is a blend of cotton and linen and is truly soft to the touch. The interior features 1 zippered pocket, 1 slip pocket and a leash for your keys. The quality of this bag shines through premium materials- tuscan leather, natural fiber interior, 14k gold plated hardware (Chanel, we’re lookin’ at you, honey). It’s amazing the quality one can get at these prices, especially in 2025 when designer bag prices are out of control. Inside my bag, I’m able to carry my Dooney pebbled grain card holder, Prada 6 key holder, car key, glasses cloth, Hermes Lip Balm, Shiseido blotting papers and a tape measure for when we’re out thrifting (gotta be able to measure crystal stemware and small pieces of furniture).

Closing Words:

I’ve always loved Dooney & Bourke, and like I said earlier- when they get it right, they get it right. But how could this bag have been improved? I would have liked to see a large verion of this bag with feet. This crossbody is one of the best designs they have offered in quite some time. It’s classic, it’s pulls from Dooney’s heritage while looking to the future by using a closing hardware that they haven’t really used in the past. The 20 is the perfect weekend size, but I would have liked to see a 30 cm offered like my vintage Large Essex.

Interested in buying your own 20 Crossbody? Well, don’t hate me, it’s sold out. I know! I’ve ranted and raved about this bag for a while now, and it’s sold out. Well not to worry, I’ve linked a handful of current Dooney & Bourke bags that I feel echo the design and quality of past below:

Pebble Grain:

Click links to shop:

Pebble Grain Small Tobi Tote

Pebble Grain Mini Domed Crossbody

Pebble Grain Large Sac

Or, if you’re looking for some more classic Dooney & Bourke options, head over to my store to shop! And if you’re interested in how to clean your vintage Dooney AWL bags, then check out the video I’ve linked below for you!

Until next, stay safe, have fun, and I’ll see you in the next one!