Melanie Paris Compact Wallet in Petrol Blue and Gold

Inside the zip-around compact wallet

The interior opens out on accordion gussets, so the card slots fan forward on one side and lie flat in a stack on the other. A clear window holds the card that gets pulled out at every till. Further in, a zipped pocket keeps coins and folded receipts apart from the notes. If you are comparing shapes before you decide, the other compact wallet shapes sit side by side on one page.

A burgundy print that only shows when it is open

The lining is printed with small round motifs in burgundy, ochre and cream, while the outside stays plain. It lines the base of the gussets and backs the clear window, so none of it shows once the wallet is shut.

Specification

The camel strap, the buckle and the zip

It closes in two moves. The camel strap across the flap drops down and catches in a small gunmetal buckle; the zip then runs around the edge and holds the folded sides together. The zip pull is cut from the same petrol blue as the body, so it disappears against it rather than drawing the eye.

Two finishes on one shell

The body keeps a deep petrol blue with a light grain that lifts towards the corners. The flap does something else entirely: a glittered gold veil laid over the same blue, bright under a lamp without looking brash. Brown is the third colour listed on the data sheet, and it comes from the strap alone.

Looking after the glitter flap

A soft cloth, barely damp, is enough on the outside. Go round the flap rather than scrubbing it, and store the wallet flat so the gussets keep their shape. The rest of the range is gathered under the Mélanie Paris label.

Where it goes in a winter wardrobe

At 14 x 9 x 2.5 cm it closes inside one hand. Petrol blue sits well against raw denim, camel wool and charcoal grey, and the gold flap does the work of a small piece of jewellery on a dark winter coat. The matching bag is one page away, under bags and small leather accessories.