Melanie Paris WalletNavy Blue with Shiny Flap

Two ways into this navy wallet

This Mélanie Paris wallet opens in two separate places, and it is worth knowing which is which before you buy. One route goes through the front; the other skips it entirely.

The zip round the central section

A zip runs along the edge of the central section and finishes in a flat, long pull tab you can catch between two fingers. Open that and you are straight into the compartment where the coins sit, without touching the front of the wallet at all.

The flap and its two camel straps

The front flap is a separate panel in shimmering anthracite, its edge cut in a wide curve across the body. Two camel straps cross that curve, each held by a small aged-metal buckle, and a discreet round stud keeps the flap down. Lift it and the wallet folds right open.

Burgundy patterned lining behind the navy

Nothing on the outside hints at the colour inside. The central compartment is lined in a burgundy fabric with a small geometric print, and a zipped pocket in the same shade sits in the middle of it.

Card column, note gussets and the printed inset

The rest of the interior returns to navy: a stepped column of card slots cut so the top edge of each card stays in view, flat gussets for notes and receipts, and a small pink and white printed inset stitched in below the cards.

Mélanie Paris navy wallet at a glance

Thrown into a bag, it keeps its shape

Shut, the wallet stays flat rather than bulging, so it sits against the side of a bag instead of rolling to the bottom. The back is plain navy with no straps and no panel divisions, and that is the side that takes the knocks.

If you are weighing up formats, it is worth looking at other flap-front wallets on the same shelf.

The small leather goods section also holds the smaller pieces that sit alongside it, from card cases to pouches.