For woman, handbag gives ultimate feeling

For woman, handbag gives ultimate feeling

Christiani Tumelap
Contributor

If you see a woman blowing her budget on an Rp 8 million
(about US$780) branded handbag, don't bother to ask why. Handbags
have recently achieved higher esteem not only as indispensable
fashion statements but also bold status symbols.

"I'm not a true fashionist. I bought it because it looks
great, brand new, and, yes, it'll definitely give more "weight"
to my overall appearance," said Chyntia, a housewife, as she
walked to the cashier to pay for her pick, the currently hip and
colorful poster-print saddle handbag from the latest Christian
Dior handbag line.

As people start to take accessories to even more extremes,
handbags are now becoming fashion's next big thing. Designers
from the world's fashion houses are battling each other to flaunt
not only their latest frocks or fragrances, but also handbags.

Everyone from Christian Dior to Gucci, Etienne Aigner and
Louis Vuitton to Prada, Fendi and Kate Spade take their turns at
setting the global trend afire.

Flip through any major fashion and even news magazine and you
will see plenty of catchy ads screaming out the latest lines in
designer handbags.

Their massive advertising campaigns have successfully
indoctrinated the minds of many women, making them believe that
there's an ongoing global trend which they should take part in,
said long-established local fashion designer Samuel Wattimena.

"Women want to be part of the world's trends, the global
society, and that's the result of the massive propaganda launched
by these global brands," he said.

"Naturally, with or without the trend, women need handbags.
But, somehow, they feel that carrying a branded handbag gives
them a clear, distinguished, ultimate feeling," he added.

At the moment, there are several new designs ranging from the
classic look to the dare-to-be-different styles that dominate the
respective market segments. And what you should do is simply
choose the one that best suits your taste, and your budget.

Those who prefer to remain faithful to the classic style may
opt for the Hermes' revamped Grace Kelly trapezium-shaped bag,
Samuel said.

Plenty of choices in classic-look bags are also available from
other high fashion houses. For example, Dior's Lady series,
Loewe's suede Mini-Amozon bags or Louis Vuitton's Mini Monogram
in leather or canvas, and Anouchka bags.

"Mini Monogram still rules," said Cecilia King, public
relations executive for Louis Vuitton's Indonesian distributor
Bagasi Luks. The most sought after models are the doctor-bag like
Josephine, or the slim and foldable Francoise and Alma, she
added.

Another choice for timeless, styled bags come from the Italian
Furla. For this autumn-winter season, Furla offers, among others,
the 1960's-look Retro of orange-skin patterned leather, which
comes in three sizes and color combinations of black, maroon or
jasmine, with matching trim. Retro bags are available from just
Rp 1.75 million.

Fashion trend is now addressing the autumn-winter characters.
Leather and fur combinations dominate the material with calm and
cool colors like warm brown, beige, camel and maroon.

But it's not a sin to go for the joyfully designed bags in
bright colors and odd shapes if you want to stand out from the
crowd.

"There's nothing funkier now than Dior's latest saddle and
trailer bags," Samuel said.

Inspired by the looks of Cadillac automobiles, Dior's trailer
bags have two yellow and white colored rounded "lamps", carseat
pattern leather trim and a "number plate" that reads "Montaigne.
chris-1947", referring to the year Dior started the business, on
the front surface. Priced at around Rp 6.5 million, the trailers
come in lamb skin and lux leather in white, pink, baby blue and
red with combination trim.

Delicatessens have also inspired designers to create uniquely
shaped handbags. There are the baguette and croissant bags, which
refer to the shape of typical French breads, and the sausage bags
-- all with short straps to be tucked under the arm.

Fendi is the one who sparked the craze for baguette bags. It
has mother baguette, baguette and baby baguette. It also has chic
croissant bags.

Fendi's limited baby baguettes, featuring luxurious leather,
black pony-hair or tiger fur and leather trim, cost between Rp 13
million and Rp 15 million. With Fendi's gigantic silver signature
plus eagle-shaped buckle with matching Svarowski stones on the
flap, it's impossible for you not to get noticed in the crowd.

Or maybe you like box-shaped bags? Prada's latest items are a
good pick. Lenny Tedja, spokeswoman for Prada Indonesia's
distributor Mahagaya Perdana, said the box rectangular bags with
buckle strap on the side and in the center are currently the most
popular among Prada handbag lines.

For the next spring-summer season, colorful and flashy styled
bags in canvas, plastic and leather are expected to storm the
shelves, though some classic and timeless designed bags will
remain in place.