BIG BAG ENERGY
Size matters—when it comes to your accessories game, at least. And as we gear up to return to the office, we need more practical options for toting around daily essentials. With larger-than-life work and social responsibilities coming back, the new season’s XXXL-bag trend will undoubtedly take the high streets in 2022. This summer, “go big, or go home” is an expression we intend to live by.
It seems fashion is finally overthrowing the mini-bag domination—a trend that Jacquemus’ diminutive Le Chiquito sparked in 2018—and offering oversized holdalls as a successor. Micro bags have long reigned supreme, but as we enter a new season, we’re asking ourselves if it’s time we swap out the minis for the maxis. It seems all the major brands are on board with this, too, as the Spring/Summer runways were bursting with Big Bag Energy.
In New York, Peter Do showcased crescentshaped cross-bodies that would fit everything else in between work and play. Over in Milan, the Fendace saw Donatella Versace and Kim Jones debut maximalist shoppers swathed in leopard print, faux fur accents, and Fendi’s Zucca monogram. Finally, in Paris, oversized top-flap shoulder bags hit it big time at Demna Gvasalia’s Balenciaga. Big Bag Energy is going strong off the official Fashion Month calendar, too. At Bottega Veneta’s salon-style show in Detroit, models were snapped leaving the show with gigantic, Kelly green shopping bags. The shoppers aren’t new (Bottega Veneta uses them to package outerwear), but they’re an impressively huge indicator of our shift toward heftier accessories. Like fashion’s newfound embrace of platform high heels and maximalist makeup, the resurgence of huge bags could have to do with our emergence from the pandemic.
But now, as we’re entering the advent of postpandemic life, we hope for fewer restrictions and more normality. As a result, we’re looking at bags big enough to hold both our belongings and our dreams for 2022. While a micro bag is a delightful addition to your outfit, it’s always a plus when you can actually carry everything you need in one bag. Not to mention, a bigger bag will also double as a great travel staple for all those trips we’re dreaming of catching up on.