Totême in black: the coats, tailoring, dresses, bags and shoes
Totême in black: the coats, tailoring, dresses, bags and shoes
Black is the Totême colour: 563 of the pieces on Luxury Handbags come in it, and Elin Kling has said she loves a saturated black against a washed cotton. The house builds every season on black first, so the black coat, the black tailoring, the black dress and the black bag are the pieces that carry over, and the ones to buy when the seasonal shade is a gamble. This page is the black wardrobe, ready-to-wear first, then the bags, shoes and jewellery.
Key facts
- 563 pieces in this shade family on Luxury Shoes , $164 to $7,440, median $980
- Ready-to-wear first, then the bags, shoes and jewellery in the same shades
- Sizes: UK on the clothing listings, EU 35 to 42 on the shoes
Why black first
The house palette starts with black and adds ecru, white and one neutral; the seasonal accent is one piece. Black is the shade the Signatures are always made in, so a black scarf jacket, a black belted tote and a black rib tank bought this year match the ones bought five years from now.
Texture does the work
With one colour, the fabric has to make the difference: double-faced wool against cotton poplin, nappa against melton, silk satin against rib. The house shows black on black and lets the surfaces separate the pieces.
The black bag and shoe
The belted tote in black suede and grained leather, the T-Lock clutch and the Contour slingback in black are the accessories the house repeats every season; the black Signature hoops finish it.
The pieces
1. Scoop neck rib tank black, $164
An earlier-season piece, still in stock, shown in black.
2. Stripe edge bikini bottoms black, $202
An earlier-season piece, still in stock, shown in black.
3. Stripe edge strapless bikini top black, $202
An earlier-season piece, still in stock, shown in black.
4. Stripe tie bikini bottoms black, $202
An earlier-season piece, still in stock, shown in black.
5. Curved rib tank in Black, $260
Made from 93% organic cotton, 7% elastane, shown in black.
6. Stripe edge strapless swimsuit black, $277
An earlier-season piece, still in stock, shown in black.
7. Stripe edge swimsuit black, $290
An earlier-season piece, still in stock, shown in black.
8. Monogram pointelle bikini bottoms in Black, $300
Made from 95% recycled polyamide, 5% elastane, shown in black.
9. Scoop bikini bottoms in Black, $300
Made from 43% recycled polyamide, 29% polyamide, 28% elastane, shown in black.
10. Stripe tie bikini top in Black, $300
Made from 71% recycled polyamide, 29% elastane, shown in black.
11. High bikini bottoms in Black, $340
Made from 43% recycled RCS polyamide, 29% polyamide, 28% elastane, shown in black.
12. Monogram pointelle bikini top in Black, $340
Made from 95% recycled polyamide, 5% elastane, shown in black.
13. Scoop bikini top in Black, $340
Made from 43% recycled polyamide, 29% polyamide, 28% elastane, shown in black.
14. U-neck bikini top in Black, $340
Made from 43% recycled RCS polyamide, 29% polyamide, 28% elastane, shown in black.
15. Sport sneakers in Black, $680
Made from 100% recycled polyamide, shown in black.
16. Croco-embossed flip flops in Black, $720
Made from 100% calf leather, shown in black.
17. Flex nappa sneakers in Black, $720
Made from 100% sheep leather, shown in black.
18. Studded velvet slides in Black, $720
Made from 100% recycled polyester, made in Italy, shown in black.
19. Byzantine bracelet in Black / Gold, $740
Made from recycled brass laquered with enamel, made in Italy, shown in black / gold.
20. Slim lizard-embossed bandeau slides in Black, $760
Made from 100% cow leather, made in Italy, shown in black.
“I love working with shades, exploring how a saturated black creates an impact together with a washed cotton, or putting a crisp fresh white next to something ivory,” Elin Kling told The Telegraph’s Lisa Armstrong in February 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Does everything come in black?
Almost. The Signatures always do; the seasonal pieces usually come in black and one accent shade.
How do I keep black looking black?
Wash cold, inside out, rarely; dry clean the wool; brush the suede. The house’s washed black is meant to look washed.
Is black the best first purchase?
For the coat, the tailoring and the bag, yes. For the knit, grey melange and camel are as useful.
What is washed black?
The house’s faded black on cotton and some coats, a deliberately softened shade, as opposed to the saturated black of the tailoring.
Does the black leather scuff?
Grained leather hides wear; smooth and naplack show it and wipe clean. Suede needs the brush.
Which black piece is the signature?
The black scarf jacket, then the black belted tote.
Read next
How to style Totême The capsule wardrobe Totême coats The bag guide
More Totême guides
Every Totême page by Luxury Shoes ’s fashion editor Gemma Deeks: Is it a luxury brand?, How to style, Brands like Totême, The edit, Who is Totême?, History timeline, Size guide, Shoe size guide, Price guide, Where to buy, Sale, Review, Real vs fake, Materials and care, Glossary, Who wears it, vs The Row, vs Khaite, Capsule wardrobe, The Signatures, Fall winter 2026, Spring summer 2026, Coats, Scarf jackets and coats, Jackets and blazers, Shearling, Knitwear, Dresses, Trousers, Jeans and denim, Skirts, Tops and shirts, Swim and beachwear, Leather, Bag guide, T-Lock bags, Belted tote, Shoe guide, Boots, Flip flops, Sneakers, Jewellery guide, Sunglasses, Scarves, Camel, beige and brown, White and ivory.
Sources and method
Checked on 18 September 2026 by Gemma Deeks, fashion editor at Luxury Shoes . Product facts, the compositions, care lines, dimensions, heel heights and country of manufacture, are the brand’s own product-page text; counts, prices and price ranges are Luxury Shoes ’s live catalogue on that date and move with stock; the founders’ biography and the house history come from the brand’s own pages and the press articles listed below, each read on the date above; the size scales are the brand’s own. Where a claim could not be checked against one of these it was left out, and where the fitting room is giving its own advice the page says so.
- toteme.com, About: the house’s own description of itself, its founders and the atelier in Stockholm
- toteme.com, Sustainability: the Signatures, the design principles, the Milkywire partnership and the 2024/25 report
- toteme.com, FAQ: shipping countries, duties, payment and returns on the brand’s own store
- toteme.com, Stores: the flagship list by country
- Totême product pages: the description, composition, care, size-guide and country-of-manufacture lines of every style (1,297 pages saved between June and September 2026)
- Elin Kling on Wikipedia
- Karl Lindman on Wikipedia
- Wikidata Q4959117
- WWD, With New Investment, Totême Shoots for the Stars (2021): the Altor minority investment, growth and margin figures and the founders’ quotes
- The Telegraph, Lisa Armstrong, 24 February 2025 (via Yahoo Life): revenue, headcount, the Paris show and Elin Kling’s quotes
- Vogue Scandinavia: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden’s favourite Nordic brands
- The Business of Fashion, BoF 500: Elin Kling and Karl Lindman
- Luxury Handbags live catalogue, 18 September 2026: prices, sizes and stock
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