My take on of my favorite trends this year.
Emerging fashion brand Jacquemus is well known for their ridiculously small bags. It is the main thing that they are known for, and people have started to notice. In 2019 I first came across this brand and trend, and I think that now in 2020 it is widely known and is starting to trickle down the market into stores that everyday people would shop at. People that have never heard of Jaquemus or seen any of their runway shows may be able to buy bags inspired by theirs’ in a store like Nordstrom.
I think that this trend, and the pace at which it has moved from runways to stores, shows how fast the internet is able to move along trends through the market. I first saw the mini bags on Pinterest, then a few months later saw one for sale at Urban Outfitters. I bought it, and very soon after Lizzo attended the AMAs with an exaggerated version of a micro bag- small enough for a dollhouse. While people aren’t going to start carrying around doll sized bags, she did bring attention to the trend by wearing an exaggerated version of it.
Since this is just now getting popular and being put in stores, I think it will be a big trend this year. This is how a lot of trends are started: by being introduced on runways, popularized by celebrities and social media, and then going into stores. Even though fast fashion is slowly dying, it hasn’t gone away yet. These brands jump on trends and reproduce them in a cheap price. This is how most people buy their trend pieces. They don’t want to pay much for them since the trend will probably pass within a year or two.
Another reason I believe that fast fashion will take this trend on and be the way by which the public consumes it is because it isn’t the most practical trend. Most people, including myself, who carry a mini bag are not using it because it holds a lot or is good for traveling with. We use them because it is a fun trend that’s meant for more fashion than function. I personally would be willing to pay more for a larger, nicer quality bag that holds more than for a micro bag. I could use a larger bag for so many more things. I would also buy a more classic looking style that would last years instead of a flashy trend piece.
I think that we are currently in an era of fashion where absurd items are what become trends. People are tired of the same old things, and even though the 90s trend is living on, it is slowly going out of style. The vintage styles have been exhausted and designers are starting to make items that look more futuristic, which is often impractical. I also believe that common consumers are starting to participate more in avant garde trends, or styles that are purposely odd and less usable. Because of social media and new designers’ ability to become known quickly from it, everyday people can participate in trends like the mini bag.