Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Tag, You're It


Is the It bag still alive? Fashion people speak copiously of the demise of the It bag, but you still see variations on the theme everywhere you go, every day. I think what they mean is that logo-emblazoned designer bags aren't so de rigueur anymore, though the cult of the It bag still lives on. You still spot dozens of Balenciaga motorcycle bags, Celine Luggages and Trapezes, Proenza PS1s, so on and so forth, on a daily basis. Hey, I'm no different (she says, typing while staring at the PS1 on the chair beside her).

But I do also try to keep a collection of anti-It bags -- purses that serve the explicit purpose of not being recognizable. At first, it seemed practical to explore designer bags that weren't so popular and instantly identifiable. But that was stupid, because the phenomenon of the It bag arises from it being attractive, popular, the whole shebang. It's fundamentally dumb to buy an inferior designer bag just so you can defy popular opinion.

So now, I turn to lesser-known designers. Designers like PP4E by Piecco Pang, who makes the best exotics in Hong Kong. Or Lutecienne, a cute little French brand I just discovered thanks to a former colleague who's now based in his hometown back in France. Young, fun, colorful and carefree, the line comprises two handbag designs right now, both of which hang from the shoulder and are consciously created in shapes that aren't standard, with hardware and pocket placement that thankfully doesn't feel derivative of something we've already seen. I can't vouch for quality, because I haven't seen the bag in person yet, but the fuschia-navy combination really grabs the eye on the Carrousel, and I'm really feeling the diagonal zip on the Kraft seems simple yet inspired. What more can a girl ask for, really? Maybe an English website...

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