Mixed Media: The mash-up is Pre-Fall 2012’s biggest bag trend

Pre-fall collections are a beautiful thing. Not only do they give us something to talk about, look at and eventually buy during what used to be the awful, seemingly endless summer retail slump, but the clothes and accessories therein also tend to be exceedingly practical and wearable in a way that collections that have to turn heads on a highly publicized runway often aren’t. Pre-fall is like the industry’s best-kept secret for clothes you can wear and enjoy all year.

Perhaps that explains why the shipment of Pre-Fall 2012 bags that just arrived at Neiman Marcus are so aggressively neutral. Don’t get me wrong, though, these bags have plenty of personality; from Fendi to Reed Krakoff, these designers have combined seemingly every neutral shade in their arsenal to make bags that are both wearable and eye-catching. With so many brights clogging store shelves for spring and summer, it’s almost refreshing to see those styles re-imagined in shades of black, brown, tan and grey. Check out some of our favorites after the jump.

Yves Saint Laurent Leopard Cabas ChYc, $2595 via Neiman Marcus