Y’all. YOU GUYS. The Balenciaga Fall 2012 runway bags are good. They manage to play with proportion in that signature Nicolas Ghesquiere way without sacrificing wearability, the combination of which is making me absolutely salivate with handbag lust. I never expect to get particularly excited about Balenciaga’s runway accessories because even though I’m a fangirl who loves the brand’s runway collections, the bags usually sacrifice wearability for experimental aesthetics. That’s not the case for fall.
The wide, flat shoulder straps will likely be a sticking point for someone who prefers a more traditionally proportioned look, but for me, it’s that element that makes the bags so utterly Balenciaga. Challenging proportions are a hallmark of Ghesquiere’s often brilliant work at the brand, and to see him incorporate that into such a wearable bag makes me very, very excited. The collection’s school folder-sized portfolio clutches are great too, although they might be too thin to be usable if the leather has any structure to it.
Images via Vogue.com
As a Balenciaga fangirl myself I am disappointed. Where’s the colour and the life in these bags? Where’s the attitude? Where’s the originality? WHERE ARE THE STUDS? It seems that too many designers are copying the Celine aesthetic, from Marc Jacobs to Alexander Wang, pretending to be functional over original, and turning out to be just plain boring. These once interestingly original designers have lost their cool factors in my opinion this season. I never imagined Balenciaga selling out to a minimalist trend like this; I would have liked to see that Balenciaga would be the one fashion house/accessories brand to withstand losing itself in the sea of overplayed “wearability”. I prefer an experimental aesthetic, one with character. Experimental designs gave us the classics, which were once considered style risks back in the day when they were first born. But these bags are just leather boxes with shoulder straps, with no character at all.
well said
I totally agree, what happened? I miss the motorcycle city; make more studs, glossy, shiny,edgy and unique stuff…leather boxes and flat clutches just don’t work for me either!
different but cool..
http://nyorkeratheart.blogspot.com
OMG they are all so ugly I want to yell. What woman wants to carry any of those around?
I’mmmm…not liking them. 😐 sorry. Too disappointed for words.
A little flat looking, dissapointing.
These look boring. The satchel looks like my cheap camera bag! I dont consider this collection to be any good.
All in all, pretty uninspiring…..
Seriously disappointing, so masculine.
they look like frogs?
Seriously now? This collection is good?
Ugly ugly ugly!!!
You must be blind to consider this collection good! Blinded by your balenciaga idolization perhaps?
People would buy these bags? Oh lordy
One word…EWWWW
Probably the most unexciting bag of the world… Wearable doesn’t mean flat out lifeless.
They seem kind of conservative compared to Balenciaga’s usual aesthetic. I want a Balenciaga bag someday, but I’ll go for something they’re known for- with slouch, colour and hardware that looks like thimbles.
????
ewww…hated it..they should have hired nice designers
I am completely obsessed with their Fall 12 collection…I somehow completely missed it in stores this Fall. I have been trying to hunt down anything left in stores or online of this collection. I love that it’s different from their classic collections. It’s refreshing, simple, and I might not forgive myself for missing these while in stores.