Forget the reassuring patter of a zipper or the familiar weight of a leather shoulder strap: in recent times, fashion seems to have decided that handbags have become, paradoxically, the least interesting accessory to carry. Increasingly, designers prefer to explore the concept of “gesture,” turning everyday objects or even other items of clothing into the centerpiece of the look. It is an invitation to break free from rigid structures and play with the absurd, bringing into the spotlight what we usually keep hidden or consider purely functional.
The recent Chanel Cruise 2026/27 fashion show perfectly captured this spirit of unabashed freedom: models appeared on the runway with their shoes directly in their hands; like a snapshot stolen from reality, that of a woman who, at the end of the night or after a long walk in the sand, decides that comfort comes first, turning her shoes into a personal accessory.
In the same vein of rebellion against labels comes Miu Miu for the FW25 collection. Here Miuccia Prada has pushed the concept of “clothing as a bag” to the extreme: outerwear is not worn, but clutched under the arm. It is the aesthetic of urgency, of those who must go out in a hurry and have no time to settle down, making the bulkiness of a coat the only necessary adornment to the look.
When it comes to challenging visual perception, Demna Gvasalia is second to none. For Balenciaga’s Fall 24 collection, the bag ceases to exist in its canonical form to blend into other objects. We have seen accessories on the runway that look every bit like upturned pumps or, even more provocatively, like simple take-out coffee cups. It is the triumph of contemporary trompe-l’Ĺ“il, where the most mundane consumer object is elevated to a luxury fetish, confusing the viewer as to what is actually a container and what is a mere frill.
In contrast, Bottega Veneta’s vision for SS25 chooses the path of delicacy and conceptual romanticism. To complete the outfits, Blazy decided that nothing else was needed but a bouquet of fresh flowers, carried as carelessly as one would handle a clutch bag.
Finally, one cannot fail to mention the closing “Le Palmier” fashion show by Jacquemus. Simon Porte chose to have the last model walk the runway with a goblet between her fingers, an explicit homage to the iconic photograph of Paloma Picasso holding a wine glass as if it were an extension of her elegance. In this gesture is the whole philosophy of current fashion: it does not matter what you carry, but how you carry it. Whether it is a goblet, a shoe or a coat, the accessory of the future is, first and foremost, an attitude.
[📸 chanel.com; miumiu.com; balenciaga.com; bottegaveneta.com; jacquemus.com]
