The footwear enthusiasts among you may remember that I was extremely enthusiastic about Lanvin’s Spring 2011 shoes when they showed in Paris last October. The hard-edged (literally and) figuratively industrial futurism of the collection felt interesting and directional back then, and it still does now with the advent of Lanvin’s Fall 2011 handbags. While the accessories of Spring 2011 were simple and traditional compared to the shoes, these bags take the edge that Alber Elbaz expertly constructed and run with it.
And really, upon seeing these designs, I can’t help but wonder why someone didn’t do this long ago. The static constraints of industrialism dovetail beautifully with the rigid, sharp-edged bags that we’ve seen grown popular over the past few seasons. In this context, the flat metal accents and jointed should straps seem logical and necessary, as do the bags made out of tortoise shell and screw heads. Elbaz’s accessories department has given us New Minimalism with a darkly futuristic bent, and it couldn’t feel more current.
Photos via Vogue.com.
