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This year is teaching fashion to slow down, and it's about time. Where every season we look forward to pretty new bags and accessories, we are starting to shift our focus to lasting pieces that transcend the seasonal turnover of trends. As the autumn and winter months approach, we're taking a closer look at the handbag silhouettes that defined this year in style — and if you're planning a purchase, then these are the pieces worth the investment.
Handbags, like shoe trends, usually begin from the bottom up. A pioneering independent designer creates a piece that speaks to the zeitgeist — like By Far's '90s-inspired Rachel baguette shoulder bag — and because of fashion's loose copyright laws, that sell-out design inspires high-fashion houses and is then duplicated all along the high street. This year's favourite bags came in five distinct shapes: the '90s shoulder bag, Staud's half-moon tote, the tiniest of mini bags à la Jacquemus, Bottega Veneta's slouchy pouch clutch, and raffia bags that bring the holiday feeling closer to home.
This year's It bags not only tell us which pieces are worth investing in but also which brands are leading the fashion industry's pursuit of innovation. Ahead, five handbag styles that transcend seasonal trends — and similar, affordable styles that are gentler on your budget.