Setting the tone for S/S 23, the Soft Shopper gets hearts racing with its practical yet contemporary appeal
There is never a dull moment during fashion month and S/S 23 was no exception. The excitement it brought had many hearts racing, particularly for the accessory trends on offer. High up on the must-have list is the Soft Shopper. Minimalist and contemporary, it satisfies the demand for easy carry all items that just simply mold into the body as well as being an extremely practical commodity. Setting the tone, Gabriela Hearst shows how this can work in tactile, malleable materials, providing added interest with colour-blocked details. Hardware, chunky chains, and knotted straps contributed to the maximalist appeal at Stella McCartney, magnified by her use of vibrant summery colour, and rendering these bags a must-have for the season.
At Jil Sander, the oversized element carried through not just for women, but for the men, in XL iterations, complete with metallic hardware zippered closures. With aquatic themes trending, surf culture at Dsquared2 saw oversized squishy bags in soft materials such as toweling – a must for every beach body. And on the aquatic theme, JW Anderson updated a slouchy shoulder silhouette (although smaller than most counterparts) with a dolphin print and a chunky chain handle.
These roomy oversized silhouettes also came on offer from Tom Ford, who added a touch of glamour by rendering the piece in metallics. And finally, amongst the most covetable were the Prada softly scrunched paper-like constructions that will be amongst the IT bags for the season; with appliquéd 3D florals, these will surely drive the connection between occasion and everyday clothing.
