The 2019 runways were replete with our favorite tried-and true-handbag designs. Every year brings its own variation on minimalist satchels, logo-laden status symbols and no-muss no-fuss professional bags. However, the dispatch from next season’s forecast came from the front lines of form. From familiar designs reimagined in surprising materials to innovative shapes cut to reflect our mutable modern sensibility, here are the top four handbag trends that will be turning heads.

Every Stevie Nicks fan knows all about the allure of the magical woman. From her iconic wild twirls to “Rhiannon,” a song about an old Welsh witch that entranced audiences across arenas worldwide, to — despite having had many lovers — defiantly remaining a successful single woman through her 70s and counting, the revival in the cult of Stevie speaks volumes about our current cultural values. In a political age that threatens to bring social progress back into medieval times, there has never been a more opportune moment for the celebration of female power. 

Since early on in its inception, street art has gone hand-in-hand with fashion. Keith Haring’s figures have influenced many fashion collections, and more recently, so have Banksy’s, popping up everywhere from couture to tattoos to t-shirts. From Jean Paul Gaultier’s frequent graffiti-inspired runway looks to Louis Vuitton’s 2013 collaboration with street artist EINE, the runway has been borrowing from the subway for as long as we can remember.

As a company comprised of 90% women, Verge Creative Group is fully invested in women's professional growth and we believe that empowering women will lead to a better future. We wanted to find a way to reach even more women and that is when we discovered Dress for Success, an international non-profit organization that provides a network of professional support, access to business attire, and career development tools to help working women in need thrive. Our initial encounter with the team was both emotional and invigorating, we recognized immediately that we shared the same values and commitment to giving women the tools they need to feel confident and stand on their own. 

From 9/11 to Hurricane Sandy to the infamous blackout in 2003, we New Yorkers have experienced our fair share of disasters — and we're nothing if not resilient. But with the rise of global pandemics and dangerous diseases threatening public health, it's about time we asked the real question: can a zombie apocalypse be that far off?