Fit more junk in your trunk! It’s the return of the supersize bag
FOR THE LAST couple of years, you’ve probably found that the only baggage you’ve been toting about (dragging, perhaps) was the emotional kind. The shift to working from home meant that diddy, shoulder-liberating crossbody bags, and perhaps a cotton tote for overspill, were suddenly sufficient for stowing your stuff.
But now your new-old life has returned, which means actual baggage is back. A Lilliputian pouch won’t cut it any more. There are laptops to lug, heels to haul and all manner of general flotsam and jetsam, up to and possibly including the kitchen sink, to cart about.
The big bag comeback might not be the best news for your back, but it needn’t spell a washout for your spring style outlook. Capacious carryalls made their presence felt on the S/S ’22 catwalks, from Giorgio Armani’s textured totes to Khaite’s luxe leather sacks and Richard Quinn’s humongous hat bags. Hero buys, like Alaïa’s studded Gail bags and the lavishly logoed Fendace holdalls, prove that big bags = big bragging rights this season.
And if further evidence that bigger is better was required, consider this: Marykate Olsen, a woman near deified for her impeccable style, has been spotted carrying not one, but two bags so generously proportioned that she and Ashley could comfortably fit inside. (Women are willing to pay The Row dollar for the look: the brand’s Margaux, £4,500, has already sold out in all colourways at Matches Fashion).
So what should you look for? Anything goes – structured or slouchy, patterned or plain – but compartments are a smart idea. ‘[They’ll] help you stay organised all day and night, so you can easily find whatever you’re looking for,’ says Ine Verhaert, co-founder of Belgian bag brand Kaai, which just launched in the UK (European sales have grown by around 50% since lockdown restrictions have eased).
Above all, remember that size matters. Be realistic about requirements and have sufficient space for comfortably carting everything you’ll need – including, perhaps, alittle bit of that emotional baggage, too.