Though the spring/summer 2022 runways were months ago at this point, we’re still wrapping our heads around all the countless trends that were introduced on them, from vibrant colors to the return of the maxi dress. In fact, there were so many discoveries to unpack that, four months on, we’re just now reporting on arguably our favorite area of focus: handbags. Clearly, we’ve been saving the best for last.
With new arrivals debuting every day, we couldn’t wait another minute to share the bag trends that will reign supreme come the first signs of spring. There will be ’90s-inspired shoulder bags, totes that double as duffles, and wristlets that look nothing like the kitschy, logo-covered versions you likely frequented in middle school—and those are just the highlights. Get a head start on your warm-weather handbag selection by checking out the only eight purse trends you need to know this year below.
Nineties handbags and ’90s fashion, in general, have been trending for quite some time now, but this spring’s selection from Prada, Miu Miu, Peter Do, and Sunnei took the classic, minimal purses from the decade to an entirely new and more elevated level. From rectangular, briefcase-like takes at Prada and Miu Miu to geometric shoulder bags at Sunnei, this season’s handbag offering is proof that the ’90s aesthetic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Sometimes, structure can be overrated, both in terms of life and your handbag collection. For such situations, designers such as Jonathan Anderson, of JW Anderson and Loewe, and Daniel Lee, formerly at Bottega Veneta, designed purses with drapey, curved lines that are practical accessories as well as works of art.
Rather than continuing to lug around two bags—one trendy mini bag and a throwaway canvas tote for everything that doesn’t fit in said mini bag—why not buy a single style that does both? Or at least, that’s what designers appear to be considering for spring. Givenchy, Fendi by Versace, Isabel Marant, and more brands took their standard-sized bags to a new level, debuting larger-than-life totes that can fit, well, everything.
With the 2000s-era trend in full swing, it comes as no surprise that revamped versions of wristlets are making headway on the runway. The dangle-on-your-wrist accessories that went everywhere with us in the seventh grade are, indeed, back, but they probably don’t look like any you owned back then. Rather, the likes of Fendi, Tod’s, and Chanel have crafted grown-up versions of the wristlet, and we want them all.
If you were one of the smart ones who didn’t retire their collection of 2018-era bucket bags in order to make room for purses of the shoulder and mini variety, today’s your lucky day. After a brief hiatus from the top of the handbag hierarchy, bucket bags of all sizes are making a triumphant return to vogue come spring thanks to brands such as Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Tory Burch.
To contrast the XL-tote trend, a much smaller (in size rather than sartorial impact) fad also made headlines last September: small hands-free bags intended to be worn everywhere but under your arm. From necklace-style cell phone cases to multipurpose belt bags, for spring ’22, we’re wearing our bags, not carrying them.
A clutch that’s so large it’s almost unclutchable sounds counterintuitive, and perhaps it is. Yet that’s exactly what a handful of this season’s most trusted handbag designers thought up for spring/summer 2022. Surprisingly enough, though, these supersized purses aren’t awkward or difficult to style. Rather, they’re an interesting and eye-catching accessory to slip under your arm and add to any outfit.
According to designers Alessandro Michele at Gucci and Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, every outfit, no matter how eye-catching it already is, could use a feather- or fringe-induced spruce-up every now and then. And where better to start than on handbags of all shapes and sizes?
Coming up: In Case You’re Wondering These Are the Bags and Shoes We Want Right Now