Melanie Paris Black Patchwork Wallet

Two fabrics meeting on a diagonal seam

The front panel is where this one earns its looks. Across the top sits a woven black, grey and white fabric, flecked with pale slubs that catch the light; below the seam, the surface turns to plain matt synthetic. The seam itself runs corner to corner rather than straight across, which is what keeps the two halves from looking like an accident. A short wrist tab, fixed with a silver rivet, sits on one side.

A black zip wallet that measures 16x9cm

At 16x9cm it falls in the compact bracket: long enough for folded notes, short enough to drop into a crossbody or a coat pocket. Nothing about it is bulky, so it suits anyone who carries a small bag and resents giving half of it to a wallet. If you would rather see how the sizes compare, the wallets sized for a small bag are all on one page.

Where the cards, notes and change go

Two outer zips open onto separate spaces, so the pocket you use most never means unzipping the lot. The front pocket takes what you reach for at a till. Inside, three main compartments keep notes and papers apart, flat slots hold the cards, and a zipped section in the middle shuts the change away from everything else. Should you prefer to keep coins out of a wallet altogether, there is always a change purse to carry alongside.

A floral lining under the plain black outside

The outside gives nothing away. Inside, a small red and burgundy floral print covers the full depth of every compartment and carries on beneath the card slots. Black gussets frame it on either side, which makes the print look brighter than it is. The zip pulls pick up the same burgundy, though you only notice once the wallet is open.

What you get, in numbers and materials

Keeping the woven panel looking clean

Woven fabric holds dust in a way smooth synthetic does not, so give the top panel an occasional wipe with a soft cloth, barely damp. On the plain black half, wipe lengthways and you will not leave streaks. It is also worth emptying the compartments now and then: compact wallets lose their shape quickly when they stay stuffed.