Item Of Interest: A Classic Bag That Gets Better With Time
In this fortnightly column, we take a keen interest in things, celebrating the moods and whims that fuel desire. In this edition: timeless, classic bags have taken a surprising, trendy turn.
It occurred to me earlier this year, while working on a monthly edition about slowed-down fashion, that 'classic' has become a category of its own. Let me explain what I mean.
At Fall and Winter collection previews this year, I saw various new yet familiar bags. What you might call a flap bag, a box bag, et cetera.
Basically, these were: structured boxes/rectangles, often with rounded corners, with adjustable straps so you can wear them crossbody, on the shoulder, or held in the hand. These are, almost invariably, secured with a clasp on a flap. Inside: between one to three gusseted main compartments.
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"This is our classic style" was how a brand representative introduced one of these designs. How could that be, I asked, when it has barely been on shelves for a full season? "Well, not classic in that way but a new classic."
That way, of course, meaning enduring designs that brands produce regardless of seasons – what savvy shoppers and industry folk call the "permanent collection".
Rather, these new designs aim to find a lasting place in your life. 'Classic' as it turns out is as much a descriptive quality as an aspirational one these days.
A spunky version of Chanel's classic flap bag from the brand's Spring Summer 2022 collection. Something to look forward to!
But there is a real upside. Because these bags are designed to look good regardless of the season, there's a built-in timelessness to them. Not just in the clean lines and functionality – love a micro bag, but some days you want to bring more than five things out – but in the quality of the construction.
The high-end leathers these bags are usually made of – like box calf, silk calf and nappa lambskin – have a polished look that ages extremely well.
I brought up these thoughts recently with a friend who, as it happened, was looking for what they called a "forever" bag. Meaning, a classic design that wouldn't feel dated (or even better, that would grow to look more desirable) a few years from now.
What fortuitous timing, then, that luxury brands and designers are on a similar wavelength. I suspect, too, that this is what a lot of shoppers are looking for these days. Novelty and opulence are great distractions, but things that are simply beautiful and well-made can also offer far more lasting pleasure. Here are a couple of good examples.
While the Loewe collections of late have been fixated on jubilance and quirkiness, the most noteworthy bag designs have been leaning toward the timeless. This Goya for example, which like the resurrected Amazona totes, feels like it could've easily been plucked from the archive. It is, however, a brand new design that is low-key and unassuming. Touch the lustrous silk calfskin, though, and you quickly get the sense that this bag is meticulously crafted from really beautiful leather.
When I saw this bag in the catalogue of Prada's December collection, I all but screamed "THIS IS THE PERFECT BAG!" at a friend. It is sleek, simple, and decorated only with the enamelled metal triangle – perfect minimalist reduction. What I really love is that this bag is made from brushed calfskin – a smooth and shiny leather that's very similar to the brand's popular loafers. Besides the footwear-matching opportunities, it is to me a Platonic ideal of a simple, beautiful flap bag.
Givenchy's major new bag design of the year is a surprisingly classic and safe one. Since it was first introduced in the Spring Summer 2021 season, the 4G bag has only grown in the number of available options: padded leather, metallic leather, patent leather, chunky chains, grafitti finishes, snakeskin, shearling – OPTIONS! We are, however, here to discuss something truly classic. Like this version in smooth, box calfskin in a colour the brand calls "cloudy gray". The style takes its name from the 4G clasp on the front, which – kudos to creative director Matthew Williams' chops as a maestro of fashionable hardware – is satisfyingly weighty.
Chanel flap bags barely need any introduction. They are a collector's category unto themselves. This Cruise season, though, I spotted this design that's really endearing. The classic chain strap has a fancier design, with alternate sections being laced with leather. This detail is carried over on to the double-C clasp, which is a really neat and cohesive piece of design. I also adore that the quilted leather is flat rather than puffy, which lends it a vintage effect.
Maria Grazia Chiuri is a genius at figuring out what women really want to wear and carry. This 30 Montaigne bag in box calfskin is a great example. As an ode to the brand's historic headquarters in Paris, the shape of the 30 Montaigne is as boxy and enduring in style as a building. What's quite neat is the gold-finish clasp, which opens up along the stem (typography speak for vertical lines) of the letter 'D' so that the bag still says CD when open.
I've been thinking about Giorgio Armani a lot recently. After years of lambasting the Italian maestro for sticking too closely to his established style, many critics of Armani seem to have recently come around to appreciate the utterly disarming quality of being CONSISTENT! And while that quality can always be found in the soft lines of Armani tailoring, this new line of La Prima bags seem to really nail the point. It's gently rounded and shaped with darts (a possible reference to the slouch of Armani suits!) in subtly-textured and scratch-resistant palmellato leather. Inside: a card holder, lipstick compartment, and a mirror with a dedicated pouch.
There are a couple versions of the woven Cassette bag from Bottega Veneta. Ones with funkier hardware details (biomorphic metal shapes, a triangle) and innovative materials (calfskin in a paper-like finish, padded nylon, etc.) But for my money (or yours), the most straightforwardly beautiful are the Cassettes made with double-faced lambskin. It's a lovely, soft leather that's as nice to touch and hold both on the inside and out. If you think about it, it's also quite a genius way of literally weaving the lining of the bag into its construction.
While Celine does indeed have a very famous bag literally named the 'Classic', might I point you instead in the direction of this very elegant alternative? It's a bit more reflective of the Hedi Slimane era of the French house, and features the archival Triomphe motif from the 1970s that the artistic/creative/image director reintroduced as a key piece of design iconography.
Bulgari makes some truly fabulous bags, not least because they come set with precious stones. This supple nappa leather Serpenti bag, for example, has a snake head clasp that's ruthenium-plated, and decorated with onyx scales and red enamelled eyes.
As I've mentioned in the previous edition of Item Of Interest, Cartier is rather an unsung hero of leather goods. This Double C de Cartier flap bag (the size is called mini, but it is actually plenty roomy and practical) in fuchsia calfskin is simple and stately with a gorgeous enamel-finished clasp in a colour to match the leather.
What's really lovely about this boxy new design from Valentino is that the hardware has an antique finish for a very chic lived-in look. The shoulder strap is also unique, with articulated chains dotted with maxi studs – a more graphic, upsized reimagining of the brand's famous rockstuds. This first launched in just black and white in the Fall Winter 2021 season (snatched up very quickly, by the way!), but expect more colours soon in the coming Spring season.
In 2019, Fendi released this Karligraphy bag featuring the cursive script logo that Karl Lagerfeld first designed in 1981. Now that Kim Jones has brought the script back into action in his first ready-to-wear collections for the house – it's all over the ready-to-wear, accessories and scarves – it's great timing to bring the logo back into the fold in the form of a bag.