Why 2011 was a good year for bags

HERMÈS Roulis in bright Mykonos Blue

It was definitely a good year for bags, lead by the 62 percent surge in sales and a staggering climb in profits of the 40-year-old English brand Mulberry, thanks to TV presenter and former model Alexa Chung, the inspiration and muse behind the now famous Alexa bag.

It doesn’t hurt the company’s bottom lines, either, as Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, was recently seen carrying one of the brand’s bags.

Noticeably gone were the more back-breaking, shoulder-straining large bags of yesteryear. It seems that 2011 was all about smaller and more feminine bags. Think Grace Kelly and her Hermès bag, the new Duchess and her Mulberry pushlock bag, and even the Queen of England and her fail-safe traditional favorite Launer bag, which contributed to a 60-percent sales increase of the style within the brand after she was seen carrying it to her grandson’s wedding to the then Ms Middleton.

TOP-HANDLE Fendi Silvana in rat-snake skin

Bright colors also took over 2011. From bright reds to cobalt blues and even fluorescent yellows, pinks and oranges, eye- popping colors were the popular choice. Color blocking was in, so pairing already  bright clothes with a bright bag was very on-trend.

Hermès was spot-on with this when the label came out with bright candy colors which sent the Birkin, Kelly and Evelyne bag lovers into a buying frenzy, resulting again in lack of supply because of the overwhelming demand.

Celine was also on the money when fluorescent colors for the signature luggage tote and the box bag were produced. And like Hermès, they, too, had a long waiting list for the more popular style.

The designer brands are smart. Another way to get their clients excited? Produce miniature versions of their most coveted bags. With much success, brands like Mulberry, Hermès, Celine, Dolce & Gabbana and even Louis Vuitton debuted mini versions of their classic styles. You need to be a very good bag editor to carry a bag so small, but in the end people took to them because they were very cute, and were considerably less expensive than their larger counterparts.

Democratized

DOLCE & leather Gabbana animal-print fluorescent bag

The satchel was already popular last year, led by Proenza Schouler’s PS1 and the Mulberry Alexa, but this year that style was democratized by a label called The Cambridge Satchel Company. It was an instant winner among many bag lovers not only because of the sturdy bag in bright colors that were nearly impossible to resist, but also because the price points were very reasonable and affordable. Kate Spade also has a similar style and that, too, has sold incredibly very well.

The year 2011 allowed women to explore the “wild side” with animal prints on bags. Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli remain at the forefront of this trend, although to them, this is no seasonal trend but forms part of their brands’ DNA.

This year, animal prints went cross-generational. From the nylon totes of Marc by Marc Jacobs to the signature bags of Roberto Cavalli and Miss Sicily bags of Dolce & Gabbana, bags like these inject that excitement and fun in an otherwise conservative outfit.

MINI Mulberry Bayswater bag in magenta

More and more bags made from exotic skins are coming out on the market. Exotics are for women who have “graduated” from their regular leather bags and want something more unique and “unattainable” for most. Although there will always be those who remain completely against this trend, the demand continues to increase.

Louis Vuitton’s Spring/ Summer 2012 collection is something to watch out for, but current favorites include bags from Nancy Gonzales, Tod’s, Lanvin, Fendi and yes, Hermès.

I can’t wait to see which of these trends will be carried over to the new year and onto the next season. And while one or two of these trends will likely become passé, they will no doubt resurface again in the not-so-far future, so keep those bags well.

CAMBRIDGE Satchel in bright orange

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