ICYMI: Japanese Bag Brand Ball & Chain Has Landed in Manila

(SPOT.ph) Filipinos are no stranger to buying country-exclusive brands and goods when they're abroad for a trip. Raise your hand if you've had to run a group chat to get specific orders from friends and family for pasalubong or pasabuy! We're considering it a win that more and more foreign brands are noticing the Philippines and putting up shop on our shores. Tote bag collectors, rejoice: Japanese bag brand Ball & Chain has finally landed in Manila through an in-person pop-up and it looks like they're here to stay.

To the uninitiated, Ball & Chain is a Japanese brand that offers bags in a variety of sizes made from water-repellent polyester, marked by its colorful embroidered designs and color-blocked body and straps. Their roomy, lightweight totes are a favorite amongst fans for their function and the fun factor, but they also sell smaller pouches and additional straps for organization and personalization. It's a great way to carry all the essentials and more while showcasing personality, mood, and adding color to your ensembles. Following a dress code might be a requirement, but nobody ever said anything about prohibiting a fun tote to do the talking!

Mostly Medium and Large bags are available at the pop-up in the SM North EDSA, which is on the second floor of The Block. To give you an idea on pricing, the bags are sold for P2,499 to P3,999, depending on size and design. The totes feature fun art ranging from flowers and cats to avant garde patterns and scenes from popular tourist spots. Truthfully, we'd want to buy everything, but if we had to choose, the embroidered flower vases against a beige background is our pick.

Don't have time to go up north? According to the official Instagram of Ball & Chain Philippines, there is also another pop-up on the third floor of Fashion Hall in SM Megamall. We also spotted a Ball & Chain board-up in SM Podium on the second floor beside local footwear brand Renegade Folk, so our hopes are high that it will be a permanent store with a wide selection of bags and the latest releases. Mark your calendars for June 2026.

While the joints in SM North EDSA and SM Megamall are a great intro to the brand and its bags, our fingers are crossed more designs and styles will become available in the Philippines soon. Both pop-ups will be around until the permament store opens next month, so there's time to drop by to try the bags and maybe even bring one or two home.

The Ball & Chain pop-ups are at Level 2, The Block, SM North EDSA and 3F, Fashion Hall, SM Megamall. For more information, check out the Ball & Chain Philippines Instagram.