In 2007, Anya Hindmarch made hundreds of fashionistas queued outside Sainsbury’s at 5am to get their hands on the much anticipated, a-fiver-each eco shopping bag – ‘I’m not a plastic bag’. For 2009 Valentine’s Day, YSL presented a generously sized, uber glossy catalogue featuring Claudia Schiffer housed in a simple black tote with white YSL logo emblazoned on it (all for free!). The art world is catching up on the tote trend, in a much low key and discreet way. It is not news that major art museums all have their branded bags, but now even commercial galleries and auction houses have branded totes. They never advertise it, so it is a bit of an ‘insider’s item’. You need to at least know that they exist. Most of the commercial gallery bags you can purchase at the gallery upon request, but the auction house bag you get given (along with the catalogue) when you’re invited to attend the auction or the reception. Artist has branded bags too. White Cube recently released a Gilbert and George ‘Jack Freak’ bag coinciding with the show of the same name at White Cube Gallery London (10 July-22 August 2009). We find ourselves replacing our designer bags with ‘art totes’. As curators, Gilbert and George is just a notch more special than Prada.

Art totes from left: Hauser & Wirth (gallery); Saatchi Gallery; Gilbert+George ‘Jack Freak’ front (White Cube gallery); Modern Art (gallery); Gilbert+George ‘Jack Freak’ back; Saturday at Phillips (Phillips de Pury auction house)