What’s in a bag or what is it with bags that women just can’t seem to live without them? What used to be an accessory is now more than just an essential, it is a necessity. Whether it’s a style piece, confidence booster, status symbol, carryall closet or a best friend it definitely has gone a long way from what it was originally created for. Through the decades, the bag has transformed into different types, shapes, sizes, styles and function from totes, clutch, carryall, overnight, slouch, evening, shoulder, satchel, hand etc. In recent decades, due to the influx of fashion designers in the global retail industry, bags were commonly known for their names such as Kelly (Hermes), Spy (Fendi), Birkin (Hermes), Paddington (Chloe), Motorcycle (Balenciaga), Moombasa and Muse (YSL), Speedy and Alma (Louis Vuitton), 2.55 (Chanel) and the latest is Proenza Schouler’s PS1. Though the “It” bag is no longer hot, small scale retailers have been producing similar types as a result of these pieces that are considered as fashionable.
In the local fashion landscape, there is a great presence of international designer retail bags. Though much of them are relatively a staple piece for the niche market, local manufacturers are creating chic lines made affordable to a bigger audience. Up-to-date design and styles evidently reflect global competence and a more forward approach to bag fashion. Due to the proliferation of glossies, style sites and growth of the industries, branding at a bigger scale has greatly contributed to the awareness and shaping of today’s modern Filipino style.
Fashion has given so much hype to the most coveted must-have staple season after season and has consistently been the object of every woman’s attention. Though the parameters of style’s exploration, experimentation and declarations are endless, one must not forget that having a nice bag doesn’t necessarily make you stylish or fashionable. Let us not forget that at the end of the day, it is really not in the brand or name, but who and how one carries it.
(E-mail the author at mymultiplechoice@yahoo.com)