Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

From Fendi to Hermès, the V&A Looks at How Handbags Became the Must-Have Accessory

From Fendi to Hermès, the V&A Looks at How Handbags Became the Must-Have Accessory

The just-opened exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum takes a full-scale tour of handbag history.

Of the infinite worlds of accessories, handbags have long been a favored mainstay. Now, a much-awaited exhibition is devoted entirely to these beloved pieces. Opening this week at London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, Bags: Inside Out discovers just what makes these accessories such an enduring cultural fascination. Highlighting more than 300 objects, the exhibition explores connections between craftsmanship, purpose, and status from the 16th century to the present day. Distinctive designer styles from are key modes-including the first-ever Hermès Birkin bag owned by its namesake Jane Birkin herself-as well as endless varieties of luggage, vanity cases, and even military forms.

                                    

Organized thematically, the exhibition begins with Function and Utility, a practical focus on the accessory’s use to encase belongings from cosmetics and keepsakes to money and documents. Here, Vivien Leigh’s attaché case and Winston Churchill’s personal dispatch box make special appearances. Another standout is socialite Emilie Grigsby's Louis Vuitton trunk from the early 1900s. Bearing labels and markings from its travels on ocean liners, it offers a visual nod to the history and grandeur of a bygone era.

    

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill carries a dispatch box in London on April 29, 1929.

Then, the influences of celebrity, politics, and the social elite are the subjects of the next section of the show, Status and Identity. Features include the Hermès Kelly bag and the Lady Dior handbag, named for Grace Kelly and Princess Diana respectively. The contemporary “It bag” is also a special focus with the Fendi Baguette worn by and stolen from Sarah Jessica Parker in one of Sex and the City’s most unforgettable scenes. “The power of celebrity endorsement exploded in the late 1990s and early 2000s,” curator Dr. Lucia Savi tells L'OFFICIEL. “Handbags by exclusive labels such as Fendi, Dior, Prada, Mulberry, and Chloé were dubbed It bags by the fashion press. Highly sought-after bags, often in limited editions or under controlled distribution, their apparent scarcity turned them into covetable and symbolic items."

                                

                                

                                

Aughts nostalgia is again inspired by a gold Louis Vuitton Monogram Miroir Speedy bag by Marc Jacobs that was popularized by Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian. Mulberry Bayswater and Alexa bags from Kate Moss’ and Alexa Chung’s private collections emerge from seasons past, and Anya Hindmarch's “I am NOT a Plastic Bag” and Michele Pred's “My Body My Business” activist slogan bags too are presented. “It is important that each object on display tells a part of the overall narrative," says Dr. Savi. "One of these is Margaret Thatcher’s Asprey handbag. During her tenure as Britain’s first female Prime Minister, her handbag came to be a recognizable symbol of both her femininity and power, known as her ‘secret weapon.’”

                                                

                                                

                                                

Craftsmanship is the final focus of the exhibit in Design and Making, exploring both centuries-old processes and modern ingenuity. Sketches, samples, prototypes-and even an atelier “maker’s table”-offer insight into bag creation. The intricacies of a 17th century silver filigree purse and a straw-embroidered letter case are detailed, as well as Paco Rabanne's iconic metal chainmail bag and Judith Leiber’s glittering Fabergé Egg evening bag. The experimental aesthetics of Thom Browne’s bag fashioned in the form of his dog Hector are shown alongside Chanel’s Lait de Coco bag, a cheeky, luxe interpretation of a milk carton.

“Bag making is a complex process. From creative sketches to precise technical drawings, from prototype to catwalk, every stage requires careful thought," shares Dr. Savi. "Whether made from natural, synthetic or recycled materials, bags have one thing in common-each model usually comes in just one standard size. This trait has been heralded as a key factor in the success of bags.”

                        



A model poses with the Chanel Lait de Coco bag. Right: Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union wear Thom Browne.

Recent decades have seen a rise in artist-designer collaborations, such as Valextra’s project with Bethan Laura Wood and Tracey Emin's International Woman suitcase for Longchamp. Other memorable art-design hybrids are also on view in Vuitton’s graffiti collaboration with Stephen Sprouse and pop art stylings with Takashi Murakami, and Alessandro Michele’s paint-dripped “Real” Gucci tote by artist Trevor Andrew aka Gucci Ghost.

        

The future of bags too predicts innovation, often with environmentally-friendly materials as in Stella McCartney's backpack made of recycled ocean plastics and Elvis and Kresse’s bag styled from decommissioned fire hoses. “Sustainability is a major consideration for the whole of the fashion industry that impacts almost everyone," says Dr. Savi. "Designers have a responsibility to create in a way that not only showcases good fashion, but also in a way that responds to the current climate.”

Just how bags will continue to evolve looks to the past, relying on centuries of carefully-honed craft and technique, while also seeking ecological, renewed aesthetics. Bags: Inside Out offers a view into that development and the multitude of influences that have made bags the integral accessory they are today. The future promises even greater possibility for what bags can become-visually, functionally, and significantly.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×