Ever wanted more out of your ‘it’ bag purchase? Well then handbag lovers, spring/summer ‘13 is going to be YOUR season! We’ve spied a burgeoning bag trend in the mix of the most recent shows, and it’s not only desirable but bloomin’ useful too. We’re talking about the clutch-meets-tote combination, as seen on the runways at Mulberry and Fendi.
One could call it two bags for the price of one, or the bogof of bag-dom, but if you’re feeling really experimental on the portmanteau front, then call it the ‘clote’. Whatever the explanation, all we know is that the idea of having a detachable clutch on the front of a super-size tote is a brilliant invention.
We originally came to discover this idea via French designer Jerome Dreyfus – accessories supernova and partner to Isabel Marant. He explained that the detachable coin-purse creation was to enable the leading lady in his life to not worry about carrying around the important things like passports and tickets while travelling. He could quite literally take that problem out of her hands and hold onto the coin purse like the helpful, lovable man we’re certain he is. Apparently it takes the stress out of such things in life. Sounds good to us!
In addition to Fendi’s new riff on the Baguette bag, Mulberry have debuted the Willow bag and Kate Moss has taken to it fondly. She showcased it at the Brit brand’s S/S’13 show last week when she told Grazia Daily she wished it was the ‘Moss’ bag. Ha! We’ve spotted her since with the fully mobilised clote out and about in Londontown.
“Everyone likes something that you can take off or add on,” Mulberry’s creative director Emma Hill told us after the show last week. “Well I always do and I think it’s the kid in me that likes Transformer toys when you can turn something into something else.” Works for us!