The Vin Store
Emerging · $400–$700 · New York, United States
Handcrafted solid brass novelty clutches shaped like fish, tomatoes, and sardine tins, bags that choose spectacle over subtlety.
Think: whimsy over practicality
The buy: the brass fish clutch
What to buy
the brass fish clutch
Categories
Occasions
Why The Vin Store is worth it
The Vin Store makes evening bags as small brass sculptures, shaped like fish, crabs, shells and tomatoes, that start the conversation for you.
Each bag is handmade in solid brass or silver, some with gemstone beads or a velvet lining, so no two are quite the same. It all started with a brass fish with a top handle, and the shapes stay small on purpose: they hold a card, keys and a lip gloss, not a phone.
The Vin Store picks
View All Picks →
About The Vin Store
Childhood friends Claudia Li Johnson and Gabby Kono-Abdy started the label in 2024, after a stylist's hunt for vintage-style evening bags kept coming up empty. The name nods to vintage, and to wine in French, things that only get better with time.
A brass fish became the bag people recognize, and the collection grew into a small zoo of sea creatures and still lifes, each one handmade and often made to order.
- Founded
- 2024
- Founded by
- Claudia Li Johnson and Gabby Kono-Abdy
- Based in
- New York, United States
- Made of
- Solid brass or silver, some with gemstone beads or a velvet lining
- Shipping
- Ships from New York across the US and abroad; international duties are paid on delivery, and all sales are final.
- Where to buy
- The Vin Store's own site · Our Vin Store picks
What shoppers say
From reviews and try-on videos, in our words.
- Size
Small by design: the inside is smaller than the outside measurements suggest, and most styles won't fit a phone.
- Finish
Handmade, so expect small variations and natural marks; keeping it in its dust bag protects the finish.
- Demand
The Fishy is the cult piece, and many styles are made to order rather than sitting in stock.
- Shipping
Ships from New York by UPS. Every piece is final sale, and international orders pay duties on delivery.
What The Vin Store is made of
The Vin Store doesn't list fiber content, like “100% silk”, on most of its product pages, so we can't say what its pieces are made of. We checked 31 pieces in October 2026.
How we'd wear The Vin Store
See all looks →
The Vin Store in our edits
View All Edits →
Still Under the Radar
Seriously good independent brands that deserve a much bigger audience.
Fashion Is Getting Fluffy Again
Feathers, beading and all the texture making fall clothes interesting again.
Good Taste, Bad Restraint
The Eccentric Lady Edit
Party Girl
The clean-girl era is over. Dress accordingly.
If you like The Vin Store
The buy: the hand-beaded clutch
Hand-beaded evening bags made by women artisans in Lebanon, including prisoners, where every stitch carries a second chance.
The buy: the half-moon bag
Geometric leather bags in bold color and sculptural shapes, where form and volume matter more than branding.
The buy: the embellished evening clutch
Handmade evening clutches covered in sequins, beads and embroidery, maximalist bags that refuse to be forgettable.
The buy: the beaded top-handle bag
Handwoven glass bead bags made by Guatemalan artisans, each piece a labor-intensive statement of heritage.
The Vin Store, answered
- What is The Vin Store?
- The Vin Store, or vin., makes handmade brass and silver evening bags shaped like fish, crabs, shells and tomatoes.
- Is The Vin Store a good brand?
- Yes. We love it for evening bags that are pure personality: handmade sculptural brass you won't see on anyone else.
- Who founded The Vin Store?
- Childhood friends Claudia Li Johnson and Gabby Kono-Abdy founded it in 2024.
- Where is The Vin Store based?
- It's a New York label, and orders ship from New York.
- What are Vin bags made of?
- Solid brass or silver, with some styles adding gemstone beads or a velvet lining.
- Does a phone fit in a Vin bag?
- In most styles, no. They're designed small, for a card, keys and a lip gloss.
- Does The Vin Store ship internationally?
- Yes. It ships from New York by UPS; international duties are paid on delivery, and all sales are final.
- Where can I buy The Vin Store?
- On the brand's own site, or through our Vin Store picks.
- Which brands are like The Vin Store?
- If you like The Vin Store, look at Sarah's Bag, Audette, Simitri and Sac de Soul.