M&S’s £45 basket bag is the perfect high-street alternative to Loewe’s £400 tote

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Few bags are as timeless as Loewe’s basket bag. A bestseller since its launch three years ago, it ticks all the boxes as the perfect tote for the summer months. But if you’ve not got the spare £400 to drop on the designer raffia tote, M&S has a straw alternative that even Jane Birkin would be envious of.

Costing just £45, the high-street take on the classic design is a fraction of the cost of Loewe’s, yet boasts the same straw basket style, as well as a similar style of handle and slip pocket in faux leather.

While in summer, it’s well paired with a floaty dress or used to carry your belongings for a day on the beach, the current in-between weather might find you styling your tote with a denim dress or trench and wide-leg trousers. Either way, basket bags are a staple for good reason – being both practical and a style statement.

Owing to its popularity, the bag has repeatedly sold out in the Loewe-inspired tan colour at M&S, but the dupe is now back in stock in tan, white and a new pink hue. Here’s everything you need to know.

Handmade from straw with contrasting faux-leather handles and slip-pocket patch, M&S’s tote rivals Loewe’s basket bag with its rustic aesthetic. Inside, you’ll find a cotton drawstring pouch and zip pocket to keep your possessions neat and safe.

Loewe’s brown leather basket bag is the label’s most recognisable, and its most popular, meaning it’s no surprise M&S’s natural tan colourway has sold out multiple times. But now it’s back, alongside a chic pearl-white design that gives Loewe’s natural white tote a run for its money too. For the maximalists, there’s a new pink colourway that will add a splash of colour to your summer ensembles.

Buy now

For the latest discounts on fashion and women’s accessories, try the links below:

Team your basket bag with one of the best women’s spring dresses