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heart of the country
Made in America
Maine outfitter L.L. Bean still fashions every Boat and tote at its Brunswick factory.
I
n 1944, 32 years after launching his mail-order business, Leon Leonwood Bean constructed a sturdy canvas sack for hauling the heavy frozen blocks used in iceboxes of the day. Over the past six decades, this utilitarian accessory has evolved into an icon of effortless, all-American style (Reese Witherspoon and Julia Roberts are fans). As a matter of fact, the company manufactures up to 2,500 of the bags daily in Brunswick, Maine.
1945 L.L. Bean nixes the carrier from his catalog. Leon Gorman adds colored trim to the defunct design, reintroducing it as the Boat and Tote.
1980 Lisa Birnbach’s The L.L. Bean’s Boat and Tote bags, $19.95-$29.95 each; llbean.com
Official Preppy Handbook raves, “Bean is nothing less than Prep mecca,” and sales of Boat and Totes continue to soar.
1991 Personalize it! Bean starts monogramming the bags.
2005 Custom Boat and Totes debut: Shoppers can pick fabric hues, handle lengths, and more—bringing the possible variations to 400,000.
recommended reading
Sweeten Up Summer Fruit
’Tis the season for fresh blueberries, peaches, and pears. Harvest a few equally fresh ways to enjoy all that produce from the aptly named The Seasonal Baker ($35; Clarkson Potter). Along with pies, muffins, and breads, author John Barricelli includes recipes for grilled apricotplum pizza and homemade Fig Newtons. Even Barricelli’s berry cobbler (right) boasts a twist: a festive crust formed with a cookie cutter.
18 . c ou n t ry li vi ng.co m . ju ly/augu st 20 12
photographs by (from top) Miki Duisterhof, styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart; alison gootee/studio d
1965 The founder’s grandson
Made in America
Maine outfitter L.L. Bean still fashions every Boat and tote at its Brunswick factory.
I
n 1944, 32 years after launching his mail-order business, Leon Leonwood Bean constructed a sturdy canvas sack for hauling the heavy frozen blocks used in iceboxes of the day. Over the past six decades, this utilitarian accessory has evolved into an icon of effortless, all-American style (Reese Witherspoon and Julia Roberts are fans). As a matter of fact, the company manufactures up to 2,500 of the bags daily in Brunswick, Maine.
1945 L.L. Bean nixes the carrier from his catalog. Leon Gorman adds colored trim to the defunct design, reintroducing it as the Boat and Tote.
1980 Lisa Birnbach’s The L.L. Bean’s Boat and Tote bags, $19.95-$29.95 each; llbean.com
Official Preppy Handbook raves, “Bean is nothing less than Prep mecca,” and sales of Boat and Totes continue to soar.
1991 Personalize it! Bean starts monogramming the bags.
2005 Custom Boat and Totes debut: Shoppers can pick fabric hues, handle lengths, and more—bringing the possible variations to 400,000.
recommended reading
Sweeten Up Summer Fruit
’Tis the season for fresh blueberries, peaches, and pears. Harvest a few equally fresh ways to enjoy all that produce from the aptly named The Seasonal Baker ($35; Clarkson Potter). Along with pies, muffins, and breads, author John Barricelli includes recipes for grilled apricotplum pizza and homemade Fig Newtons. Even Barricelli’s berry cobbler (right) boasts a twist: a festive crust formed with a cookie cutter.
18 . c ou n t ry li vi ng.co m . ju ly/augu st 20 12
photographs by (from top) Miki Duisterhof, styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart; alison gootee/studio d
1965 The founder’s grandson
