Wide Load: The east-west satchel is fall's biggest shape

It’s been a long time since the handbag world has had a new shape emerge. For the past several seasons, it’s mostly been wall-to-wall small crossbodies and tailored, ladylike satchels with a few popular north-south totes thrown in, and just like any predilection that’s been around for a while, those norms were bound to be challenged sooner or later. I simply didn’t expect ultra-wide east-west satchels to be the bags to do it.

And these aren’t just any east-west bags, which have always been a favorite. These designs are wide, some of them doubly wide as they are tall. It’s a tricky proportion to pull off, and although I’ve rounded up a bunch of good representations of the trend from Fall 2012′s new arrivals, I’m not sure that every bag on this list pulls it off. Lanvin, for example, does a better job on some of its bags than others, and I can’t say I’m feeling the extra-wide Louis Vuitton option at all. The blue Miu Miu and Chloe up top? Sign me up. Check out the bags we picked and let us know if you think this trend will catch on.

Lanvin Dr. Lanvin Doctor’s Bag, $4350 via Neiman Marcus

pe.riche.

Personally I’ve never been a fan of the east/west handbag. There is no way I can actually fit all of my daily necessities in them (iPad, Nook, notebook, ect.) Plus, aesthetic wise, I just don’t find them attractive.
mlle p

Digging that LV, but never a fan of the words “price on request”, which is just retail-speak for “if ya gotta ask, you can’t afford it”.
- http://www.purseblog.com/ Amanda Mull
  
  We try not to do that as much as possible, but we didn’t hear back from LV before press time!
  - Duchess of Malfoy
    
    It’s $3950. The price is on their website under the Prefall bags.
ReneeO

I like the east/west if it’s not tooooo long. When you open up the bag you can see everything in there, no bottomless pit.
Rexelly

Balenciaga Part-Time wasn’t included on the list. I would consider that as a east west kind of bag because its quite wide.
SK

I’m not a big fan of the shape, but I do LOVE the blue suede Miu Miu.
MizzJ

haha I never thought my handbags would cycle in and out of style – I actually own an east-west bag from the previous time it was in style!

The Lanvins are my favourite as they don’t overly emphasize the awkward shape of these bags, at least from how it seems in these photos.

http://justj.ca
Handbag Boutique

Love Miu Miu doctor bag
http://twitter.com/Heyyeh22 Emily Yeh

Considering how long it takes me to find my keys in my deep totes and satchels, these bags are probably a refreshing shape to add to any bag collection. I like the Lanvin double handle, very chic. It reminds me of how crossbodies started out as mostly portrait shaped, now they’re transitioning to a more clutch-like landscape shape.
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#IsItReallyTooMuchToAsk for a large handbag not to swallow my keys?
http://isitreallytoomuchtoask.com/
foxgal

I personally love east west satchels…much easier to find things in than deep totes. My current fave bag – the Ferragamo Sophia – is very much in line with these proportions.
armbasket

These east-west bags look like the former Chloe Paddingtons, which I owned and sold. Not a big fan of east-west, although the first LV and both Lanvins looks interesting.
Martha

You should include Gerard Darel’s 24 hour bag in this group!
BigIndianWedding

Awesome bag collection. i like your satchel bags.
Grace

The LV is an almost exact copy of the Hermes Paris-Bombay. I like the Chloe and the Lanvin, but would probably not buy either because of the shape
haiyang

The blue Miu Miu is really beautiful. It is different from other brands. I love it very much. If it is possible, I really hope I could one hundred Miu Miu and I would reserve a room for it. Of course, it is just a beautiful dream.
http://www.jp-gucci.org/