Pristine bags are making way for something much more individual.
When eternal style savant Jane Birkin died last year from natural causes at age 76, it was a reminder of how, in an era where trends are spat out fast and furiously, there are some figures in pop culture
From designers such as Hedi Slimane at Celine to French fashion editor Emanuelle Alt, Birkin’s style legacy extends beyond her acting and singing accomplishments. “Effortless” and “French Style” are terms often associated with Birkin — the latter term an honour bestowed upon the British transplant who perfected the art of tying a sweater around a Breton striped top tucked inside a pair of flared denim jeans with a basket slung nonchalantly in the crook of her elbow.
But perhaps her greatest style legacy is her almost apathetic approach to handbags, particularly the way she decorated her namesake Birkin bag with trinkets collected from around the world, stickers, patches and key rings. With eye-watering prices ranging from approx. $20,000 to $3 million, notable collectors such as Victoria Beckham and Kylie Jenner are known for lining their expansive wardrobes with their Birkins proudly on display like trophies.
But not Jane. No, her Birkin bags were often filled to the brim, the exterior worn, scraped and slugged about like a bag should be — a gung-ho companion holding all the sundry bits and pieces that help us get through the day. In the 1988 film Jane B. par Agnès V, director Agnès Varda delivers a poignant moment where Jane unloads her costly Birkin bag to reveal a hoard of items that make up the content of her bag, including pills, coins, notepads, pens, letters and even a Swiss Army knife. “When you show it all, you reveal very little” she declares.
More recently, when we charted the rise of chaos being cool in 2022, the memo has since outlasted a parade of quick-fire internet trends, supported by some of the most zeitgeisty proponents of chaos across fashion and music — Charli XCX and her cohort of hot internet friends in the video for her single 365, dystopian dresser Julia Fox and New York live-streamer Jae Gottlieb.
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Advertise with NZME.A messy handbag is a signal to the world that you have other things to worry about than playing into the myth of an ‘it’ bag.
As reported by the Herald in April, Kering Group, the owner of Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, posted an 11 per cent decline in group sales in the first quarter of this year, citing challenging conditions in the Asia Pacific region. A decline in sales of new designer goods is benefiting the secondary market, with resellers seeing a rise in pre-loved handbags. It makes sense too; there’s something appealing about carrying a vintage bag, no longer in production, and with a soft patina that comes with age and wear.
Jane Birkin’s beat-up bags are one legacy she has imparted on Mary-Kate Olsen. In the early to mid-2000s she famously toted a beat-up mint green motorcycle Balenciaga bag with a visible red wine stain on the bottom. It was covered in pen marks and chewed-up gum, when asked at the time by W Magazine about why her bag was so dirty Mary-Kate simply responded “It explains my life.” In recent years, the designer has been resurfacing another beat-up luxury bag, her beloved navy Hermes Kelly bag, with its frayed edges, faded colour and deconstructed shape.
On the runway at Miu Miu’s spring/summer 2024 show, models carried unzipped handbags spilling over with stuff — heels, lingerie, lanyards, while at Balenciaga, models had their worn-in totes accessorised with keychains and assorted tassels. At Bottega Veneta, clothes and newspapers filled large leather totes at Milan Fashion Week.
Lilly Allen, Dua Lipa and Anne Hathaway have all taken ginger steps towards messy bags with a more considered take — adorning their luxury handbags with bag charms, beads and key chains.
Close to home, our own “it” girl, London-based New Zealand model Ch’lita Collins has taken a leaf out of Jane’s style playbook and decorated her Yu Mei Milly bag with personal trinkets. Featuring Buddhist beads and shoelaces coiling around the handles, the additional pieces offer something personal to a bag that can be bought and worn by others.
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Advertise with NZME.In an age when authenticity is something we’re all trying to achieve in a world dominated by alternate realities, the things we carry in our bags continue to offer a salve, protection and preparation for the surprises life can sometimes throw our way. Whether slung over your shoulder at a festival, packed to the brim going through airport security or housing your daily needs on your morning commute to work, your bags are one of the most pragmatic accessories you’ll own.
There’s nothing new about a messy bag, of course, but its ubiquity now signals a desire for authenticity. Whether adorned with jewels and totems to protect you on your travels or marked by the scratches and stains of life’s memories, an unprecious bag that lives with you, removes the power dynamic away from brands who rely on consumers to put their luxury items on an unnecessary pedestal.
For those who might argue that keeping our bags pristine is the only way to make them last the distance, there’s something more interesting about a bag that looks like it’s lived a thousand lives too.
It is, after all, just a bag.
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Personalise your totes and carryalls with something special.
Made in London, this irreverent charm is made with grade-A moonstone and Japanese Miyuki beads.
For something to wrap around your handles, try a colourful silk scarf, handcrafted with 100 per cent pure Mulberry silk (150cm x 15cm).
This stylised Tea Rose dangling from your bag offers an elegant option that works for all dress codes.
Knots and ties add a sense of whimsy to handbags, and the nautical styling of this Louis Vuitton option is a great nod to this year’s 37th America’s Cup.
Prada’s signature robot chains are a playful addition and are available in a variety of colours.
Dan Ahwa is Viva’s fashion and creative director and a senior premium lifestyle journalist for the New Zealand Herald, specialising in fashion, luxury, arts and culture. He is also an award-winning stylist with more than 17 years of experience, and is a co-author and co-curator of The New Zealand Fashion Museum’s Moana Currents: Dressing Aotearoa Now.
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