The Amsterdammer

Between choosing the right handbag or piece of jewelry, we fashion enthusiasts know that everything has to be taken into account. Simply put, it’s about the art of complimenting accessories. 

The year of 2019 has been known for the trend of tiny bags, introduced by designers on social media, such as the French brand: Jacquemus. His obsession with small sizes generated the insanity needed to create what is known as Le Sac Bracelet. As the name states in French, it’s a combination of a bag and a bracelet. Although small in size, its price is not, mounting to approximately €270. Following in Jacquemus’s steps, Louis Vuitton has also decided to redesign this crazy masterpiece, tagged with an even higher price of €500. 

Throughout the years, designers and celebrities have embraced the surprise factor. Between Lady Gaga’s meat dress and Angelina Jolie’s blood necklace, the audience has seen some outlandish (yet wearable) creations. Sometimes I question myself: is there ever going to be a sensible limit to the art of insanity?

It can be argued that fashion is an art form, therefore making it subjective. Some may think that buying a bag that serves as a bracelet is completely useless, others may purchase it without thinking twice. Whether it’s to relish in its originality or to just follow the mainstream trend, reasons are mixed – and so are opinions.

The average consumer tends to prefer a design more suitable for daily wear. Increasingly though, stores are lacking in offering this option, at least in its quantity of choice. That’s the case for the new Galerie Lafayette on Les Champs-Elysées in Paris. Complaints express that the clothes for sale are becoming too artistic, even for the upmarket clientele. The buying power lessens as they aren’t enticing anyone enough to validate spending hundreds and thousands on such unwearable pieces. 

Today’s fashion industry is primarily making clothes for the runway and not for the general public. Let’s remember that fashion is art, and art can be manipulated to be commercial. This environment is constantly changing, but this doesn’t mean that it only generates negative products. Fashion may also take an exaggerated form when tied to a positive message. For instance, Dutch designers Viktor and Rolf use relatively common memes on their dresses, such as Sorry I’m late I didn’t want to come or I’m not shy I just don’t like you. It can seem unusual to write those words in such a large font on very large dresses, but these statements are based on honesty. We also witnessed the presence of positive memes, such as I want a better world with a smiling sun as a reference to parks being damaged. These creations are definitely artistic and exaggerated, but their goal is to denounce aspects of today’s society.

To revisit my previous uncertainty, fashion should not always target the commercial market as it is indeed considered to be an art form; it’s always going to be unpredictable and ever-changing. So in the case of the Jacquemus bracelet bag, it can of course be seen as exaggerated, but it’s admiration remains subjective. It’s the designers who ultimately choose how to express their style and sense of perception. They are the artist after all, with all the insanity that comes with it.