Melanie Paris Compact Wallet in Rose Gold

A zip that runs right around the wallet

The wallet closes in two stages. A zip travels the perimeter and holds the gussets shut when the wallet is carried loose in a bag. Its pull is finished in the same rose gold as the flap. For other ways of keeping a wallet shut, see the wallet shelf and its other fastenings.

The camel strap sits under a gunmetal buckle

Over the zip, a camel strap with dark edging comes down from the flap, passes through a pin buckle in gunmetal and tucks back towards the front panel. That dark metal is the one cool note in a warm palette. Brown is also the third colour listed on the spec sheet, next to pink and rose gold.

Compact wallet in rose gold with a metallic flap

Two finishes meet on one piece. The body and the back stay in a lightly grained powder pink, matt and even across the panel. The flap switches to rose gold, a metallic surface that looks pale or warm depending on how the wallet is held.

Size, colours and what closes it

Card gussets, flat slots and a zipped middle

Opened flat, the wallet fans out. On one side the card gussets step back one behind the other, so the top edge of each card stays in view. On the other, flat slots take the cards used less often, with a clear window above them for the one that gets shown at a counter. The middle section closes with its own zip and keeps coins away from the rest.

Burgundy and ochre rosettes line the inside

The outside is plain; the inside is not. Small rosettes in burgundy, ochre and cream print the lining, cover the back of the gussets and show through the clear window. The tape of the middle zip picks up that same burgundy.

Keeping the metallic flap clean

A soft cloth, barely damp, is enough on the grained body. On the flap, dab rather than rub: a metallic finish wears thinner under repeated pressure. Stored flat rather than squeezed, the gussets keep their shape. The same routine suits the bags that sit alongside these smaller pieces.

What it slips into

At 14 x 9 x 2.5 cm it closes in one hand and goes into a small evening bag as easily as an inside pocket. Powder pink works with beige, pearl grey and camel, and the metallic flap lifts a plain outfit on its own. For the rest of the range, see the Mélanie Paris brand page.