Show Me What You’re Made Of: Top 2019 Handbag Trends

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. Rather than focusing on superimposed detailing and decoration, the bags that traveled down the runways of Paris and New York fashion week reinvented our concepts of what a bag could be.

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 well into 2019.

Weave Into Me

If the 2019 runways were clear on anything, it’s that touchable, woven textures aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. With the macramé trend a hit with everyone from craft moms to yoga teachers, with the woven wall hangings a permanent fixture in many an Instagram story, designers are capitalizing on touchy-feely textures to bring a thread of homemade warmth to utilitarian cool.

At Alberta Ferretti, a roomy macramé backpack in millennial pink married charm and softness with big-city practicality, while at JW Anderson, a structured saddle bag let its hair down with knee-length fringes. Meanwhile, in a nod to nostalgia, Maryam Nassir Zadeh showed a blue sparkle-knit crochet handbag — not unlike the one lifted from our cool aunt’s closet in middle school.

Open Carry

Though we’re no strangers to slouchy styles, openness was a notable shared trend in bags on the 2019 runways — specifically, a trust-filled spilling open at the top that lent a devil-may-care attitude to otherwise impeccably structured totes. At Zadig & Voltaire, wide open backpacks in clean white leather and distressed smoky blue spilled out of models' hands, while at Jil Sander, an oversize shopper in sleek black leather was carried tucked under the arm, straps superfluous, folded over like a paper hat.

At Givenchy, a black and blue duochrome bag reminiscent of a Jack White music video featured cinching left loose. And Marni’s practical carryall, a boxy collapsible flat-bottom bag in cognac croc, was the consummate travel companion, perfect for stashing at the bottom of a suitcase and springing to life — not unlike Mary Poppins’s bag of treasures. 

Clear Cut

Harkening back to the see-through backpack days of middle school, designers put an unexpected spin on #ThrowbackThursday with crystal-clear bags in impeccably structured silhouettes. In an irresistibly Instagrammable take on '90s nostalgia, Christian Cowan presented a belt-adjacent clear fanny pack with a gold watch inside, while Sally LaPointe showed a boxy clear crossbody outlined in luxe beige leather.

At Mary Katrantzou, models carried clear clutches complete with all the essentials, including MAC lipsticks, lighters and money — their bags’ colorful insides a visible extension of their breezy floral dresses. But the pièce de resistance appeared at Brandon Maxwell, whose plexiglass handbag containing a bottle of Maxwell-branded champagne was a #2019mood if we ever saw one.

Honey, I Shrunk the Bags

Each passing season begs the same question: How tiny can bags get? The answer is very tiny, if the 2019 runways were any indication. The microbag trend reached new heights with the appearance of tiny bags that could barely fit a credit card, let alone a smartphone, perhaps in a nod to the increasing cultural push to spend more time outside the screen. 

Oscar de la Renta capitalized on the streetwise hands-free trend with a periwinkle coin purse roped up the model’s arm like a gladiator sandal, while at Gabriela Hearst, the passport lanyard received a non-touristy upgrade in black and camel crocodile skin (and shrunk too small for an actual passport to fit). Burberry served black tie minimalism with a card-sized black crossbody on a gold chain, while fan favorite Brandon Maxwell shrunk a B-bedecked handbag to Wonderland-worthy matchbook size.

Witchy Women: Witchcraft, Fashion, And Feminism

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. 

Historically, the image of the witch has been used to oppress and subjugate women. Women who were self-possessed and self-aware, who didn’t fit into the traditional roles of motherhood, didn’t rely on men, and had a handle on the natural and supernatural — who had the ability to bend the elements to their will and use their power to achieve their own ends — were seen as something to be reviled and feared. Ugly and terrifying, we have the landmark image of the spinster witch sacrificing animals in her hut, staring into a cauldron down her long, warty nose. 

Now, however, while there is still a strong association between female power and witchcraft, in a culture where the focus is on feminism, this association has taken on a positive spin. Rather than something to be feared, the modern witch is one to be revered. Indeed, much of the logic behind equating witchcraft with female power stems from a place of awe for the woman who is strong and effective: Magic, a possible explanation for the “I don’t know how she does it” factor.

And while the sheer capacity of female ability can feel superhuman — think of the mother juggling children, work, home life, and art — the modern witch movement is all about self-love, self-care, independence, and empowerment, and almost every medium is answering the call. Open up Instagram and you’ll see crystals, moons, and pentacles galore. Magic-centered lifestyle and art magazines such as Luna Luna Magazine and Witchcraft Magazine celebrate the power inherent in magic, while popular beauty brands such as Rituel de Fille champion the ritual of makeup as cosmic empowerment. Clothing lines such as the LA-based FOXBLOOD take a poppier approach to witch culture, celebrating the creepy cute and gently occult with flowing black tunics and pentagram-back dresses, while Blackcraft, another popular LA-based brand, uses Satanic imagery to show the inherent power of belief in the self. Models of all shapes, sizes, races, and aesthetics are featured, subverting the traditionally accepted look of beauty in favor of authenticity, diverse representation, and personal style. 

According to Sarah Durham-Wilson, a former editor at Interview magazine, the word "witch" itself means something different than it used to. “To us,” she says, “the word ‘witch’ relates to a powerful female energy that’s been repressed for too long.”

Modern feminism is not only about allowing women the same rights as men, it celebrates choice — a woman’s right to personhood — and for many, witchcraft and feminism are the ultimate pairing. Last Halloween, Vermont’s Feminists Against Trump held a “witch-in,” where a mass hex was cast against “The Great Orange One and the racism, xenophobia and sexism he feeds on.” The idea, said group organizer Laurie Essig, wasn’t just to cast a spell on Trump, but also to “make some good feminist magic to surround ourselves with.” That connection has proven to be a necessary thing: in an increasingly digitally connected society, we find ourselves feeling increasingly disconnected from ourselves and others, the natural world, and our inner lives. Social media and the culture of comparison create a serious drain on our emotional well-being, and through reconnecting with our higher purpose, modern witchcraft helps us to reclaim our power and spend our energy wisely.

This Samhain season, in an homage to vibey — to quote Stevie Nicks — superwomen everywhere, we are proud to be designing a line of cosmetics and beauty tools inspired by the modern witch. As the supportive community of powerful women continues to grow with the movement, we are excited to see more and more brands join the coven.

Spring-Summer 2019 Inspiration

Welcome to our Spring-Summer 2019 collection, aptly named “Untitled Poetry,” a homage to the love letters we often dream about sending. Borrowing from the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, this collection is fully romanticized with blush hues and metallics, holographics and pleats, anticipating the coming of next summer. Each to be worn with love, pleated drawstring backpacks, elevated belt bags, and sculptural bucket bags will be key to this season. We used this variety of textiles and trending silhouettes to create the perfect love story.