Worlds collide at Bloomingdale’s Chevy Chase next Thursday, when a rather unexpected trinity of Capital Bikeshare, handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff, and Bloomie’s shoppers will form. The impetus: the launch of a $195 “bike share backpack,” designed by Rebecca Minkoff specifically for the bike-sharing lady cyclist and available in only a handful of cities. If the price seems, uh, a bit steep for a nylon bag, bear in mind that Rebecca Minkoff hobo bags are currently retailing at Bloomingdale’s for $425. A portion of sales will also go to Women & Bicycles, a program within the Washington Area Bicycling Association that offers mentorship and support to women cyclists.

The incongruity of pricey handbags and the thriftiness of biking was precisely what intrigued Women & Bicycles coordinator Nelle Pierson, who is hosting Thursday’s party in the store’s purse department. (It will be Pierson’s first trip to Bloomingdale’s.) “It allows us to interact with an audience we don’t primarily interact with,” she says. “I came to bicycling because I was cheap and lazy. I wanted to save money, I wanted to be efficient with my time. I think people who are willing to pay $400 for a purse are very unlike me.” Pierson had not previously heard of Rebecca Minkoff but is excited to promote cycling to the sort of Washington woman who has.

Available in black and gray, the backpack was designed by Rebecca Minkoff in collaboration with Bloomingdales to “help the chic city girl go about her day with ease,” according to Rebecca Minkoff retail merchandise manager Christine Marconi. A zipper pouch for a water bottle and a key clip are among the bike-friendly features. The bags will be available for purchase at Thursday’s party, which includes complimentary potassium snacks, Icelandic yogurt, and make-up touchups from Clarins.

Photo via Rebecca Minkoff