Long before smartphones and wallets and keys began to be replaced by apps, handbags have often been more than simple carriers of personal belongings; they are cultural icons that illuminate the style and sensibilities of their times. This very nature as artifacts of social changes, technological advancements and cultural normal makes handbags appealing.
Famous for its freedom and rebellion against the traditional the 1920s was called the Flapper Era. Small and ornate, handbags or ‘pochettes,’ were beads and embroideries placed on the flapper dresses of the day. These bags represented the bright and haphazard spirit of the Roaring Twenties.
During the 1930s as the Great Depression set in, practicality and durability were important. There were handbags made from tough stuff, and the design was more utilitarian. Just as the decade’s economic challenges mirrored, this shift in handbag design did so too. Leathering became popular over the leather because of its durability.
World War II brought on functionality as we continued into the 1940s. In place of leather, which was scarce because of the war, the materials used were canvass or rayon. And it was then that the ‘Kelly bag’ by Hermès came about, completely timeless and utilitarian.
There was a return to glamour after post war prosperity in the 1950s. The handbags were more structured and more sophisticated, with some brought out in metal frames. The accessories were not just accessories, but statements made for headgear, and spoke to an optimism and economic recovery.
Modernity was the mood of the 1960s. Bold Pattern came to life on the handbag and plastic became a material of choice. In businesses such as Paco Rabanne, designers took the lead with innovative designs, turning out bags that were truly pieces of art as much as pieces of fashion.
That bohemian flair entered with the 1970s. Slouchy unstructured bags, with fringes and tassels, were a clear representative of this free-spirited ethos. In the same time, the cross body style was popular because of the active, liberating lifestyle.
Conspicuous consumption and power dressing were favorites of the 1980s. Such oversized bags with logos lived on to become the symbols of the era of brand name identity and luxury. The handbag market thrived, reflecting a decade of economic prosperity and a fast-moving fashion scene.
Trends in handbag for the 1990s as it rolled in included a minimalism and a shift towards grunge. Clean simple lines and muted colors became the way in which to be and legendary styles, the Fendi Baguette and Prada Nylon backpacks were the face of the chic simplicity of the decade.
‘Death to the I.T. Bag’ became a mantra during the early 2000s, which were propelled by celebrity and media footprint. MUST-HAVE handbags included the Balenciaga City and Louis Vuitton Speedy, a tap to the modern while holding a respectful nod to past styles.
Individuality, and sustainability, took center stage in the 2010s. Vintage bags made a resurgence and eco-friendly materials became popular. Then it was all about customization, and people could put their own spin on their handbags.
In today’s 2020s handbags have started redefining with technology. Today chargeable designs are coming into vogue, and multifunctional design is becoming more common. The latest innovations in sustainable handbag materials are testimonial to a growing consumer demand for ethical fashion. The handbag is a cultural barometer, a product of its time – its course through time, reflecting the ebbing and flowing of fashion, to say nothing of Vogue’s own fascinating impermanence.
For years, handbag fashion has served as a sort of social and cultural barometer. When you start to take a look at the handbag industry’s influential styles and materials evolving over the years, it’s quite obvious just how handbags have changed with the times, constantly changing how they’ve swayed with the tides of history.
This period at the turn of the early 2000s accommodated both nostalgia and modernity and served to garnish the imaginations of fashion enthusiasts worldwide. The 2010s was characterized by ethical fashions emergence which the designers sought to answer to growing perception of the aspect. This decade, entering the 2020s, there is a strong continued commitment to the sustainable practice with innovations to material aimed at meeting consumer trend for ethical fashion. Handbag remains the symbol of a personal statement of oneself; it changes shape and form along with the ever-changing faces of fashion.
History has shown handbags to be more than just a convenient and practical item, for handbags are cultural artifacts which reveal the tempo, the Zeitgeist of each time. Looking forward, the future of handbags holds as much promise for dynamic and inspiring change as they have done in their past, continuing to reflect and mold the world of fashion.
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