An Exaggerated Capacity, a Recognizable Pattern
The classic tartan from Maison Burberry – and a shape much more suited to sporting activities than to an elegant evening. The ludicrously capacious bag worn by cousin Greg's girlfriend in one of the most famous scenes of the TV series Succession had then been at the centre of a fashion dispute on the small screen, second only to Andrea's cerulean sweater in The Devil Wears Prada. The criticism, made by the character of Tom Wamsgangs, was aimed at a bag that was too flashy, contrary to a more sophisticated “silent” fashion, to be expressed in the choice of neutral pieces, without logos and therefore recognizable only by those who truly understand luxury. “What's inside? Comfortable shoes for the subway? A lunchbox?” Tom asked in the same episode. And yet, sold at auction last January, the ludicrously capacious bag would have been sold for almost twenty thousand dollars. A catalyst for conversations and trends, the series would have thus contributed, despite criticism, to bringing attention back to maxi bags. And in fact, to propose them for Spring 2024 we find not only Burberry, but also brands that the series itself cited as healthy bearers of quiet luxury – the “silent luxury”, precisely – such as Bottega Veneta, Tod's and Chloé.
Bella Hadid and the Maxi Bag Trend
Photographed on March 12 on the streets of Los Angeles with a Saint Laurent bag of “gargantuan” proportions – this is the term that Tom Wamsgangs would have perhaps used – even for Bella Hadid it would be natural to ask: “But what’s inside?”. Curiosity aside, Bella Hadid is not the only one to pick up on a trend that, between catwalks and high-street, has begun to make its way over the last year. The Icare Maxi by Yves Saint Laurent, among the favourites of XXL leather goods, occupies the top positions in the fashion search indexes, also thanks to the shots that portray it worn by celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Angelina Jolie and Zoë Kravitz. Alongside the YSL model, we can also mention the Hermes Birkin 50 HAC. A fusion of two of the most famous models from Hermès, the Birkin and the Haut à courroies, the HAC was introduced at the beginning of the twentieth century as a bag designed to hold saddles and riding boots. Today it is a rarity in high-end leather goods, with a five-figure price tag and very few models in circulation. One among all? The one in shiny crocodile leather in dove gray owned by Kim Kardashian.
The Trend Continues: Maxi Bags for Spring 2024
So, although it is not an absolute novelty, it seems that 2024 will also be the year of maxi bags. Equipped with pockets as large as clutches, essentially enough to carry the essentials for a short trip, with handles as long as a pair of women's arms, they stand out for their fabrics, patterns and plays on shape. Synonymous with extra large, but also with extra luxury, those proposed by Bottega Veneta go beyond the classic monochromatic weave, which, although present, leaves room for narrative tapestries, halfway between the surface of reality and the fantastic abysses. In more concrete terms, the collection is made up of "metamorphic" bags, from the one similar in motif to pieces of newspaper, but actually made of leather, to the one that emulates straw but, once again, is made of woven leather. A form of
