Item of the week: the fluffy bag

What it is:

In the realm of fun handbags, the fluffy bag is definitely one that stands out. It was also the ‘it’ bag of the autumn/winter 2024 season, seen in a slew of runway collections to complement – typically – varying takes on eveningwear. It must be noted that there was not one type of handbag design that had fluffy material incorporated onto its exterior. Silhouettes ranged from oversized clutches to baguette bags to shopper styles, and these only varied even more by the type of fluff adorned on the piece, therefore providing a great assortment of bag options.

Why you’ll want it:

The leather goods and accessories market is a one that remains consistently strong season-after-season, as opposed to the clothing sector itself, which tends to see demand and sales fluctuate depending on macroeconomic interests. This is largely due to accessories being viewed more as a functional necessity rather than an optional wardrobe addition, as well as their sometimes more accessible price points compared to their garment counterparts. Not only this, but the fluffy bag itself was such a definitive trend on the runway that it will hold an important place on the shelves of retailers as consumers look to replicate their favourite designer looks.

Where we’ve seen it:

The variation of fluffy bags was so vast on the autumn/winter 2024 runways that there were limitless choices when it came to style, colour and material. While 16Arlington and Dolce & Gabbana stuck to black as their core colour – the former offering up a shopper bag, the latter a smaller clutch – many designers opted to bring the bag to life with bold colours. Jil Sander’s long-haired underarm pouch came in a baby yellow, silver and olive green, Coperni’s handbag presented a blue to grey ombre effect and Diesel’s fluffier tote was present in a stark blue tone that matched its coordinating coat.

How to style it:

As a bold, eye-catching accessory, the fluffy handbag can act as a statement piece for an outfit, allowing the wearer to therefore opt for garments that take on a more minimalist form. This sees the item work well with sleek and chic garments such as a slinky cami dress, fitted blazer and trouser combo or a long-form overcoat. Additional accessories could either match the fluff seen on the bag, or continue with the pared down approach in the outfit at hand, with simple mules, form-fitting boots or strappy sandals offering an effortless way of bringing the look together.

The fluffy bag is a fun wardrobe addition for the coming season, bringing a bit of flair to eveningwear and injecting some playfulness back into the consumer wardrobe at a time when such fervour is much needed.