I frequently rant in this space about designers who overprice bags made from materials other than leather; it’s one of my personal pet peeves in the accessories world and a trap that consumers fall into too often. And yet, against my better judgment (for several reasons), I find my interest piqued by the Delvaux Brillant MM. It’s just so…red. And also, clear.
This bag first caught my attention at another brand’s preview, where it was being carried by one of the attendees. (I think it was Natalie Joos, but because the bag was separated from its owner at the time I noticed it, I can’t swear.) Something about the traditional, ladylike shape juxtaposed with the modern, kitschy material really intrigues me, as well as the fact that it’s such a huge aesthetic departure for the historic Belgian leather goods brand.
Did you know that Delvaux is the oldest still-operating leather goods designer in the world? I didn’t, although I knew that it was quite historic. As it turns out, Charles Delvaux started making trunks in 1829, and the brand persists to this day. That kind of heritage usually means that a brand’s products are somewhat “traditional” (you can view that as a euphemism if you’d like), which is definitely true of Delvaux – its bags are the kind that you’d imagine a wealthy, incredibly elegant older woman would always have on her arm.
I think that’s part of what draws me to this bag, which uses an ages-old Delvaux shape but reinvents it in a very cheeky way. Brands who are willing to take themselves a little less seriously than you’d assume always attract my admiration, and with a few fun small accessories to put inside it, I’d love to carry this bag as a novelty piece. Just not for the price. Buy through Barneys for $750.
