After making me suffer through years of teen-tastic bubblegum colored plastic-coated canvas, Dooney & Bourke has actually released a line that might make me interested in buying from them again.

Witness the Florentine Vachetta, a luscious, robust, adult-flavored line that looks even better in person than on the Dooney site.  While the styles are nothing new, the leather certainly is, at least for Dooney.  I’ve fallen in love with the look and feel of the leather and the subtle differences in the color range.

At last, the company has made me remember why I loved them years ago.  Finally, they have a line that will stand the test of time, new classics that will remain wearable for ages.  And, while the prices are higher than the plastic-coated ‘IT’ bags of years past, they are definitely within budget and reasonable for the quality.  I mean, at $395 for the Medium Lucy (my current obsession is the Chestnut color), one would be hard-pressed to find a comparably sized bag of similar quality.

If D&B can continue to work toward bringing their company back to its roots, back to quality leather goods and away from teeny-bopper plastic trends, they may just be able to weather this economic storm.  With limited shopper-dollars available, I’m getting very choosy and a little cranky.  I have always preferred quality over trend, but even more so when I have fewer dollars to work with.

The way to keep Dooney on the right track is to vote with our wallets.   If you agree with the idea, and prefer the ‘new’ Dooney, speak up!