As 2015 has come to an end, it proved to be another impressive year for
fashion. There were the usual Fashion Week’s featuring the latest designer
collections, the headline news of designers leaving major creative director
posts like Raf Simons at Dior and Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, and the talk of
how Instagram is taking over the fashion industry.
2015 also saw certain luxury handbags really making their mark in the
market. Of course, there are always the timeless classics, but there are
certain fresh and new offerings that stood out this year among the sea of
luxury handbags, and they ought to be recognized.
Lanvin was never really known for dominating the accessories category, but
their Jiji bag has been found all over Instagram recently. With Fashion
Month coming up, this bag could easily turn into a must-have for street
style stars. The average price for a Jiji bag is 1990 dollars, and it is
available at stores like Barneys New York and e-tailers like ssense.com
The Fendi Micro Peekabo bag won vogue.com’s It bag of the year survey back
in November with 20 percent of the vote. The last time Fendi had an It bag
it was their Fendi Spy, so it was due time that they gave the world another
one. The Micro Peekaboo Bag is at a price point around 1550 dollars.
Gucci’s Dionysus bag, which is an ode to the Greek god Dionysus, is proof
that Gucci’s days as a stagnant luxury label are over. Creative director
Alessandro Michele has helped propel Gucci’s purses back to highly
covetable status, and he gave the world a handbag that is heavily desired.
While all-over logo handbags are mostly out of style, the unique details on
this such as the tiger’s head and sliding chain strap are enough to surpass
the novelty of the usual logo bags. The price point for the bag is 2250
dollars.
While it might be a fabric bag, breaking away from the usual luxury
materials like leather or crocodile that It bags are usually made from, the
Chanel washed fabric messenger bag gets points for style and functionality.
Also, major points for details like the embroidery and buttons attached to
it, adding to the uniqueness of the piece. The bag is at a price point of
3800 dollars.
See by Chloe, Chloe’s diffusion line, offers a chic and sophisticated
shoulder bag perfect for the young lady coming into her own style going for
entry level pricing. With Mansur Gavriel making shoulder bags more popular
with their bucket bag, the See by Chloe shoulder bag certainly had its
moment this year among the younger fashionista crowd. The price point for
the bag is 395 dollars.
Loewe’s Puzzle Bag was a breakout star this year. Creative director
Jonathan Anderson wanted to introduce a new bag to the world, and he’s one
of the rare designers who can create an It bag on his first attempt. The
bag has been the talk of the town this year, and his helping propel Loewe
and Anderson to fame. The price point for the bag starts at 2350 for the
small puzzle bag.
The Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel practically caused casualties at the Phillip
Lim Sample sale on Wooster Street in New York this year. Okay, well, maybe
not casualties, but the lines at 9 a.m. in the morning were so ridiculous
you would think they were giving out the bags for free. It’s arguably a
must-have among the designer handbag obsessed crowd nowadays. The price
point for the bag begins at 695 for the mini satchel and can range up to
1000 dollars for the large satchel.
The Givenchy Antigona bag falls within that realm of designer bags like
Celine that have become known for their architecture, versus being heavily
logoed with the brand name. The sophisticated and edgy bag is built with a
high level of luxury in mind, and is easily spotted among fashionable
neighborhoods like Soho in New York City. The price point for the bag is
around 2435 dollars.
The Burberry Peyton House crossbody has become so popular that it is
currently sold out at Neiman Marcus. One of the criteria for an It bag is
being a top seller for a company, and when you’ve sold out, you know the
bag is the It bag of the season. While Burberry’s sales might be struggling
due to a weak market in China, they are certainly dominating the handbag
category. The price point for the bag is around 625 dollars.
The Saint Laurent Sac de Jour Toygrain can be described with one simple
phrase: “la petite belle.” The small and elegant handbag is perfect for
those with older and more expensive tastes looking for something simple to
hold their lipstick and cell phone. The price point for the bag is 1350
dollars.
2015 proved to be quite the year for handbags, now let’s see what 2016 has
in store for us. With the round of designer shake ups this year, which
fashion house will produce the next great It bag?