Runway to retail: novelty designer handbags

Tracing the trend

Running parallel to the current surrealist fashion trend is the
consumer penchant for novelty designer handbags. According to fashion
editor Kristen Bateman, writing in Elle,
“Lately, fashion is being filtered through an absurdist lens, and in a
world that seems to have hit peak luxury, nothing feels more joyful
than wearing a bag that doesn’t take itself so seriously”.

Judith Leiber – the godmother of the novelty bag

It’s a trend that can be traced back to the 1960s, when Hungarian
refugee Judith Leiber founded a handbag company in the U.S. In 1967
she began producing tiny crystal covered metal clutches Leiber passed
away in 2018 but her company lives on and her Swarovski crystal
covered novelty minaudieres are more popular than ever.

Moschino’s Pill Pack Crossbody Bag 2017

During Moschino’s ss17 runway show, Jeremy Scott showed a silver
crossbody bag embellished with a blister pack of red and yellow
capsules. It was an instant retail success that has continued to this
day on resale sites

Gucci x Mickey Mouse 2019

Many in the audience of the Gucci ss19 show were surprised to see a
model carrying a bag shaped like the head of Mickey Mouse. Considering
the current dispute between Disney and the governor of Florida, it now
seems like a prescient alliance. Like the Moschino pill pack bag, the
Mickey Mouse x Gucci collaboration is still popular on the resale
sites.

Louis Vuitton 2022

Virgil Abloh’s final show for Louis Vuitton menswear included bags
shaped like paint cans.

Post Pandemic

During the Pandemic years consumers turned to carrying practical
no-name totes and simple cloth bags. The runway collections shown
since, prove that the consumer appetite for whimsical clutches,
satchels and crossbodies has returned. The trend culminated with
‘Carrie Bradshaw’ carrying the pigeon clutch from JW Anderson in the
hit HBO show ‘And Just Like That.’ Anderson had shown the bag in his
menswear collection for fw22.

Novelty bags on the fw23 runways

Thom Browne fw23

Browne showed his famous black leather ‘Hector’ bag with a clock in
the side (main photo) as well as a satchel shaped like a clock.

Victoria Tomas fw23

The designers showed a crossbody bag shaped like a perfume bottle in a
silver leather holder.

Schiaparelli f23

From Daniel Roseberry, a black handheld square bag with eyes, nose and
mouth in gold on two sides.

Moschino fw23

Jeremy Scott showed a purple heart shape bag with biker jacket detailing

Novelt
y bags at resale retail

Novelty designer bags on re-sale website Poshmark are so desirable
they sell for a high percentage of the original price. Chloe Baffert,
the site’s merchandising and curation expert explains why: “Surrealism
and artful fashion are having a real moment right now. It’s hard to
scroll through social media without catching a glimpse of Loewe’s 3D
anthurium florals or a gold anatomy adorned Schiaparelli outfit.
Designer novelty bags take it one step further and are a collectable
status symbol in their own right. They appeal to a niche, yet growing,
cohort of consumers who are willing to spend on these unique bags. To
some, a Judith Leiber bag is more covetable than a Hermès ‘Himalaya’
Birkin, it’s less obvious and more of a fashion lovers inside joke
that’s sure to spark conversation.”