This year is teaching fashion to slow down, and it's about time. Where every season we look forward to pretty new bags [1] 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.
By Far Eve Shoulder Bag
The By Far Eve Shoulder Bag [2] (£325) is the next iteration of the brand's sought-after '90s-inspired Rachel baguette bag that debuted in 2018. Since then, By Far has managed to reinvent itself each season and reclaim its spot as the go-to brand for minimal, '90s-inspired shoulder bags.
Shop: Similar Baguette Bag
& Other Stories Croc Embossed Leather Shoulder Bag [3] (£85)
Bottega Veneta The Pouch
The Bottega Veneta The Pouch [4] (£1,990) is just one of the groundbreaking designs by the brand's innovative Creative Director Daniel Lee, who took home multiple awards at the 2019 British Fashion Awards [5], including brand of the year, designer of the year, British designer of the year — womenswear, and accessories designer of the year. The Pouch clutch bag was dubbed the It bag at Copenhagen Fashion Week autumn/winter 2020 [6] by multiple publications.
Shop: Similar Pouch Clutch
ASOS Design Oversized Ruched Clutch Bag in White [7] (£22)
Jacquemus Le Chiquito Mini
The Jacquemus Le Chiquito Mini [8] (£390) continues the mini-bag fixation of Instagram's fashion crowd. Jacquemus's signature autumn/winter 2020 microsize top-handle crossbody bags are quickly reaching "classic" status, and investing in one of these adorable minis in the '20s will be the equivalent to a Fendi, Prada, or Louis Vuitton baguette bag of the '90s.
Shop: Similar Mini Bag
Monki Vegan Mini Handbag [9] (£18)
Loewe Pochette Bag
Raffia bags like the Loewe Pochette Bag [10] (£450) are a contemporary take on the basket bag made popular by Jane Birkin in the late '60s and early '70s. It pairs perfectly with a puff-sleeved dress, and what's even better is that this feel-good 2020 style launched in response to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) with €40 from the sale of each bag — and the wider capsule collection — being donated to children's charities that help stop the virus.
Shop: Similar Raffia Bag
Zara Braided Tote Bag [11] (£30)
Staud Moon Mini Tote
The Staud Moon Mini Tote [12] (£215) debuted as one of the most popular handbag styles of spring/summer 2020 because of its unusual banana-shaped silhouette, paired with an affordable price tag (by high-fashion standards). Since March, there have been tons of brands like The Row, Coperni, Yuzefi, and S.Joon that designed their own take on Staud's half-moon shape.
Shop: Similar Moon-Shaped Bag
Weekday Abby Nylon Handbag [13] (£25)