Dior The Diorama
Revealed for the first time at the spring-summer 2015 ready-to-wear show, the Diorama bag is now ready to spring out of the Dior boutiques and onto your arm. Conceptualised to accessorise the clothes created by Raf Simons, the bag marries the leather working savoir-faire of the house’s ateliers with a decidedly modern, urban aesthetic. It carries the trademark cannage—the motif that channels the pattern from the back of a Napoleon III chair and which has been a part of the house aesthetic since Christian Dior’s first fashion show in 1947—but in a reinvented form. Now, with a melange of threads and textures, it finds new life in oversized, architecturally graphic lines.
The offerings—there are 26 of them in different sizes—are a mix of moods. The plain black leather Diorama is deceptively classic; the patch-covered piece emits a hipster vibe. The graphic Diorama with a colourful cannage calls out to the decidedly edgy while the flap bag, in white quilted calfskin, would be a charming surprise for someone wholesome, looking for pretty embroidered flowers and badges. Whichever your choice, with its metallic chain of CD-engraved open-work links and crest-like fastener, the bag has a sharp style that sets it far apart from any pretenders, and can be worn on the shoulder, against the hip or across the body.
TOD’S
The Cape
Since the first piece made its appearance in 1997, Tod’s Made-in-Italy bags have demonstrated a commitment to craftsmanship. Understatement and quality have been the hallmark of every product. Above all, the bags stand out for the excellence of the leather used; it comes from exclusive tanneries and is always natural. Tod’s bag for the summer of 2015, the Cape, is no different. Available in mini, small and medium sizes, the bag is made, variously, of chrome-tanned half-calf, chrome-tanned calfskin, Miami leather, cotton, calfskin, python and crocodile.
Designed like the garment after which it is named, the Cape has folded-back corners with magnetic fastenings which means that it can open out to reveal a spacious interior. Colours range from summer brights and pastels to the brand’s popular muted, classic tones. There are plain options as well as floral patterned ones. The floral motif is not a new trend, nor is it a revolutionary concept this season. But by using perforations to create the pattern in some of its medium Cape bags, Tod’s has bestowed on its floral offerings a high dose of refinement. A high-powered laser has been used to create the small cutouts. The stamped logo, metal details, protective feet, rounded twin handles, leather luggage tag, internal zipped pockets and satin lining complete the pretty picture.
The making
A ‘diorama’ usually refers to a scene that’s been reproduced in three dimensions by placing objects in front of a painted background. Miniature or full size, the product is made with care and looks spectacular. In that respect, Dior’s It-bag for the summer couldn’t have been named better. A mix of the old and new, the fully handmade bags have Dior’s trademark cannage pattern traced out in oversized, ribbed and architecturally graphic lines while the relief flower embroidery, produced by specialised artisans, is inspired by 18th century French gardens.
Gucci
The Lady Web
Fun and functional it may be, but the Lady Web seems also destined to become a classic. The new bag with Gucci’s signature green-red-green stripe reintroduces the interlocking GG-patterned canvas and carries the house’s trademark horsebit decoration. It also borrows its style from the relaxed glamour of the Seventies and yet has a totally contemporary feel to it. Insiders say Lady Web “embodies the spirit of Bohemian luxury that underlies creative director Frida Giannini’s modern interpretation of Gucci.” Giannini’s vision for spring-summer 2015 is young and irreverent, and the Lady Web is the perfect example of this aesthetic.
The bag is available in two sizes and features high level of artisanal craftsmanship, which is evident in the sophisticated mould construction, manually painted edges and padded neoprene details on the flaps. Each bag has 81 components and takes artisans a full day to complete. The maxi shoulder straps are adjustable and detachable. Except for the GG bag, which comes only with the web shoulder strap, all the other Lady Webs offer a double-shoulder strap option (in web stripe and leather, or python, or crocodile). The bags are made of daubed and solid leather, suede, GG canvas, python, crocodile and daubed crocodile. Colours range from intense to cool; the linings are in natural linen or tone-on-tone leather. The suede bags aren’t lined at all.
The Song
Gucci has collaborated with singer Lykke Li to promote the Lady Web bag through a digital short film launched on social media networks. The film tells the story of an artist as she goes about creating beautiful symphonies, but never without her Lady Web. Shown through flashbacks, the film features the moments that inspired the crooner’s writing as she travelled the world, browsing a vintage record store or walking on the mountains or cities.