INDEPENDENT RECESSION

Bag Trends: INDEPENDENT RECESSION

Time to think how you shop, what you buy and why...


Parker Tote in Burgundy Italian lambskin, $585 by Lauren Bailey Bailey Bag		Cheet London Wallace Clutch, in mint lambs nappa, $175 by Emily Cheetham		31st and Jackson Retro" large tote, black leather,$595 by Dwight Jackson

Everyone is talking recession and it isn't like there is much else to talk about. But are people really spending less on handbags? Well, if you consider the amount of designer deals that are taking place with lower priced retailers like Uniqlo, H&M, Easy Spirit and Target, we assume the answer is an overwhelming yes. Recently Anya Hindmarch was the most recent designer who became part of the Target mini-season's Go Collection and word on the street is that people are bypassing the real brand to buy its 'most affordable' sister. When local boutiques selling indie/non-label bags are feeling the pinch when tourists opt to buy the Marc Jacobs cotton or PVC tote just because it says Marc Jacobs, it is hard to think about all of the designers who continue to toil away to make a name for themselves.

However, you would think that would deter most people from trying or want to just close up shop because things are looking bleak but that couldn't be further from the truth. In these times with 'gloom and doom' on the horizon, more people feel inspired to start their own business and even more determined to finally do something that they are passionate about. In our case, it is bags and always will be. Much like the beauty industry that has profited since the 20's during bad economies, handbags tend to follow suit. With currently over 1000 designers as part of our Handbag Designer Registry database, more and more handbag designers are crawling out of the woodwork and we know why. A bag will allow you to feel good. A bag is a pick-me-up. You can get a return on investment by wearing a bag for an entire season and beyond therefore amortize the cost of money spent. We believe though that in the crowds of sameness, as a human being, we still need to be feel good about ourselves and do something to stand out and that is where a bag gets the job done.

If anyone knows this industry, when a name brand item is launched, the samples get circulated throughout the editorial writer community and therefore showing up on the arms of several fashionistas as somewhat early adapters in hopes that they will create a wave of trend followers and make that item a 'must-have.' However, in this economy, the need to feel unique and special is even more important since the jig is up. People who spend copious amounts of money on a 'label' bag most likely cant afford to pay their rent. People are lucky to have jobs so why stress yourself in trying to keep up with the Joneses and reconsider your purchases from an indie designers. It is so much more exciting to know that 1 person sacrificed their day jobs, spent 7 days a week, stayed up until 3am making this bag, packed the box themselves, carried this bag to UPS to ship it to you and every sale they get adds an extra smile to their day validating that they did make the right decision in going out on a limb to create something that you might want. That is not just a bag you bought but its a story, a dream and it an energy that is getting passed on to you. We have selected three unique handbag designers and we know that they represent what it takes and why their bags are worth buying.

Author: Emily Blumenthal (Want to become a Handbag Correspondent?)

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