Totême glossary: the Signatures, the bag and shoe lines and the terms
Totême glossary: the Signatures, the bag and shoe lines and the terms
The words the house uses, the names of its lines and the terms that come up when you shop it. Each entry is a sentence, two at most, grounded in the brand’s own product pages, and the numbers refer to what Luxury Handbags has in stock on 18 September 2026. The list runs roughly from the permanent pieces to the accessories to the technical terms.
Key facts
- Three groups of names: the permanent Signatures and Garderob, the named bag, shoe and jewellery lines, and the fabric and construction terms
- 32 terms, each as the house uses it
- Cross-referenced to the guide that covers each piece
Glossary
Signatures
The permanent line the house repeats every season, tweaked rather than replaced: the tank, the trench, the flip-flop, the scarf jacket, the monogram scarf and the T-Lock among them.
Garderob
Swedish for wardrobe; the house’s curation of pieces with a permanent place in the Totême wardrobe, worn every day and over time, from the Day tote to the Venetian slippers.
Scarf jacket
The house signature: a jacket with a scarf built into the collar so it drapes as one piece. Made in wool, cashmere, leather and embroidered versions, and as a coat and a blazer.
Monogram silk scarf
The square silk twill scarf printed with the Totême monogram, the first accessory the house became known for.
T-Lock
The twist clasp on the bags: a metal T that turns through a slot to close the flap. It names the T-Lock clutches, shoulder bags, crossbodies, top handles and satchels.
Belted tote
The tote whose sides fold in and cinch with a strap and buckle; comes in leather, suede, grained leather, woven leather and paper raffia, in small, medium and full sizes.
Belted bucket bag
The bucket that cinches with a belt and opens out for space; it debuted on the fall 2024 runway for the house’s tenth anniversary.
Mercer
The tote defined by a sculptural basque and snap belt accents, inspired by biker-jacket codes, with a red interior and a sunken zip.
Roam
The soft, unstructured north-south tote with precise creases, first seen on the spring 2026 runway.
Bevel
The slouched, triangular tote in pony hair-effect leather; the Bevel wristlet is its evening version from the summer 2025 runway.
Clip
The bag family named for its clipped edges and press-lock flap, in canvas with lizard-embossed trim.
Threefold
The clutch with a three-gusset construction and a top zip.
Cocktail bag
The compact naplack box on two fine handles, made for evening.
Contour
The pumps and slingbacks introduced on the spring 2026 runway that follow the line of the foot on the 85 mm set-back heel.
Set-back heel
The house’s signature heel, set slightly behind the natural heel line on the Contour, Bar and Classic shoes.
Bar
The mules and boots on the 85 mm set-back heel with a square toe.
Sharp
The kitten pumps with an elongated toe on a 35 mm heel.
Slip
The soft slip-on ballerinas and pumps in jersey, nappa, naplack, suede and pony hair-effect leather.
Flex
The unlined nappa lace-up sneaker on a slim rubber sole, sold with a spare set of laces.
Downtown and Day boots
The knee-high nappa boot on a block heel, and the over-the-knee stretch nappa boot on a tapered kitten heel.
Naplack
A glossed, slightly crinkled leather finish used on bags and shoes.
Pony hair-effect
Calf leather embossed and finished to look like pony hair; the leopard and tiger prints are done this way. Not real pony.
Double-faced wool
Two layers of wool bonded and finished as one cloth, so the coat needs no lining; the classic double coats and scarf coats are made this way.
Signature hoops
The house’s bold oval hoops in gold-plated brass, some with marble-effect resin, in regular and petite sizes.
Byzantine chain
The rope-like articulated chain, a modern reading of a classical Byzantine link, in bracelets and necklaces of gold-plated brass, and of black-enamelled brass.
Forzatina
The oval-link chain with lozenge edges used on the fine necklaces and the Crew-neck chain, in recycled 18kt gold.
Infinity
The bead and pearl necklaces on gold-vermeil links that can be worn long, doubled, and joined together.
Original denim
The house’s first denim line; the classic cut is a high-rise straight leg in rigid organic cotton, sold by waist inch.
Parachute
The drawstring, gathered trousers, skirts and tops in fluid fabric.
Slouch
The relaxed, dropped-waist dresses and blouses named for the way they fall.
T1 to T4
The house’s bracelet and necklace sizing by circumference; rings run on the French scale 42 to 56.
Style number
The season-category-fabric code on every piece, for example 264-WAL0134-LE0206.
“Our longstanding Signatures are unmistakably TOTEME: they have a classic expression and a clear purpose in our wardrobe. Whether it is a tank, trench or flip-flop, we strive to make the best wardrobe archetypes by tweaking and perfecting them over time through improved materials and manufacturing techniques,” the house writes on its sustainability page.
Frequently asked questions
What does Totême mean?
The name plays on totem, an emblem, spelled with a circumflex; the house does not publish an official etymology and writes it TOTEME in capitals. It is pronounced toh-TEM.
What is a Totême Signature?
A permanent piece the house repeats and refines every season rather than replacing it: the tank, the trench, the flip-flop, the scarf jacket and the monogram scarf are the ones it names.
What is Garderob?
Swedish for wardrobe, and the name of the house’s curation of everyday pieces with a permanent place in the Totême wardrobe.
What is the T-Lock?
The twist clasp on the bags, a metal T that turns through a slot. It is the closest thing the house has to a logo on its leather goods.
What is a set-back heel?
A heel set slightly behind the natural heel line, the house’s signature on the Contour, Bar and Classic shoes at 85 mm.
What is double-faced wool?
Two layers bonded and finished as one cloth so a coat needs no lining; the classic double and scarf coats are made this way.
Read next
The Signatures The bag guide The shoe guide Materials and care
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, 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, Black, 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
- toteme.com, Garderob: the house’s curation of permanent wardrobe pieces
- Luxury Handbags live catalogue, 18 September 2026: prices, sizes and stock
Related Posts
Gabriela Hearst Size Guide: Clothing and Bags
Gabriela Hearst runs true to size. UK to IT conversion, how knitwear and coats differ, and the measurements for every bag, in one guide.
Gabriela Hearst Nina Bag: Size, Price and What Fits
The Gabriela Hearst Nina Bag explained: 6 by 9 by 7 inches, made in Italy, from $4,150. What fits inside, how it wears and who it suits.
Gabriela Hearst Demi vs Nina Bag: Which to Buy
Demi against Nina: three inches apart, $80 apart in price. Measurements, capacity and the case for each Gabriela Hearst top handle.
Gabriela Hearst Bags: Every Style Explained
Every Gabriela Hearst bag family explained: Nina, Demi, Diana, Leonora, Marija, Paola, Jebb and Billie, with measurements, materials and prices.
Gabriela Hearst Accessories: Belts, Scarves, Collars
The full Gabriela Hearst accessories edit: belts from $940, hand knitted scarves, detachable shearling coat collars, leather pouches and ceramic jewellery.
Are Gabriela Hearst Bags Worth It? An Honest Verdict
What you get for $2,000 to $6,500: Italian leather, full lamb lining, solid brass. What you do not get, and how it compares with The Row and Bottega.
Alexander McQueen on the Red Carpet: The Gowns That Made the House
Alexander McQueen has dressed more consequential red carpets than almost any house of its age, and it has done it with structure rather than sparkle. A short history, and what carries the idea now.
Alexander McQueen Tops and Corsets: 34 In Stock, From $680
The corset has moved out of McQueen eveningwear and into pieces you can wear by day. Twenty-six tops and eight knits are in stock at Luxury Shoes , from $680.
Alexander McQueen Trousers: Tailored, Bumster, Tuxedo and Denim Compared
Twenty-two pairs of Alexander McQueen trousers are in stock at Luxury Shoes . Rise separates them more than the leg does, and the editors set out what each of the four shapes is for.
Alexander McQueen Jackets and Coats: 31 In Stock, Priced by Shape
Twenty-seven Alexander McQueen jackets and four coats are in stock at Luxury Shoes . The editors group them by what each shape is actually for, from strict tailoring to shearling.
Alexander McQueen Evening Gowns: All 9 In Stock, Priced and Ranked
Nine Alexander McQueen evening gowns are in stock at Luxury Shoes , from $4,350 to $13,630. The editors set out what separates them and which evening each one is for.
Alexander McQueen Craftsmanship: The Techniques and Materials, Explained
The Luxury Handbags editors went through every Alexander McQueen piece in stock and pulled out the construction techniques the brand actually names: boning, suspended lace, engineered stitch, bullion embroidery and corsetry.