2021 Is The Year Of The Collectible Handbag

If 2020 was the year that turned closets into cemeteries for all the outfits that coulda-woulda-shoulda been, 2021 will see those untouched ensembles resurrected as artefacts from The Before: sparkly relics to be admired, not worn — at least not yet. And with the fashion biggies like Vuitton, Gucci, Loewe, "etc" (did you catch that v subtle Off-White nod?) blessing our screen-fatigued eyes with a slew of new handbag-shaped masterpieces, it seems the closet-cum-museum situation might catch on for the long term.

If you hear the word handbag and immediately think dust receptacle, it's time to ditch your 2020 goggles for good. Now that the-year-that-shall-no-longer-be-named is officially behind us, the future of fashion is filled with swoon-scrolling, not doom-scrolling. The latest trend train with nearly every major luxury house on board is limited and collector's-edition artist collabs (oh hello, Keith Haring, Ken Price, and Urs Fischer), delightfully unexpected partnerships (looking at you, Longchamp x Pokémon), and exclusive Lunar New Year capsules (Prada, Fendi, Dior). It's enough to transport the mind straight into sartorial fantasy land. Let's hang here for a bit.

If you're not buying what we're selling here, then consider what J.W. Anderson's latest capsule has to say: "The secret of life is in art." This famous quote featured on all sorts of tops and totes is more than just the wise words of Oscar Wilde — it's a reminder of the power of design to bring us joy, to instil hope, and to make us want to sling an incredible bag over our shoulders and head out into the world armed with the passion of a thousand literary geniuses. Ahead, we've rounded up the top collector-style bag capsules this season that are just waiting to be ogled, be it on your shelf or on your screen.