The Best Bags: Our Wishlist for AW 13/14

The new season might not start for another few months, but here in London it feels as if summer has already come and gone (remember that one week of mild sunshine in April?), so we’re more than ready to look ahead at what AW 13/14 holds. And although the ‘it’ bag idea has waned since the days of Chloe’s arm-aching Paddington, clutches and totes are still what we get most excited about every year.

This is our AW wishlist – we’ve concentrated on the fashion heavyweights for now, and saved the more avant-garde labels for later. But we couldn’t decide whether it was better to splurge on a daytime bag or a knockout clutch, so let us know which is your favourite!

For a fresh twist on a classic carryall, look to Mulberry. They updated a handful of their signature styles for AW by adding glossy, polished hardware into the mix. We love how something as simple as a new handle can bring this satchel brilliantly up to date, but it’s still a timeless look that won’t date. For a bolder statement, grab it in textured lemon leather – we can picture Alexa carrying this at LFW.

This furry, cross-body bag from 3.1 Phillip Lim brought a riot of colour to his runway show, and gave more than a nod to AW’s ‘fun fur’ trend. But the mannish handle – it reminds us of a proper briefcase – and substantial size give some gravitas so the frivolity of the fur. Transitional it’s not, but if you’re looking for a bag to surmise this season’s statement trend, the one that AW 13/14 will be remembered for, this is it. 

Ignore Burberry’s heart prints – great on Cara Delevingne as she stalked down the runway, but a bit kitschy for real life – and concentrate on their jewel tones instead. Colourful, brilliantly textured pieces are what Christopher Bailey does best, after all. Our favourites include this burnt orange box clutch with an industrial gold frame, and the mini satchel in luminous blue. It looks like hardware and satchel shapes are going nowhere at Burberry as well as Mulberry.

This graphic clutch from Jason Wu is a sartorial game changer, perfect for adding impact to a monochrome outfit (head-to-toe black or white looks are making a return for AW). The rounded stud details are punky and rebellious, but still look sophisticated against this minimalist shape and light tomato hue. With a clutch this size, we’re not sure who’s going to use the wrist strap – grab it with your hand instead, and keep the rest of your ensemble streamlined.

Jen Kao’s multidimensional clutch combines warm, Autumnal berry tones with a futuristic feel. It’s these unexpected contradictions that have earned Kao a reputation for wearable but highly dramatic design. She reminds us of Isabel Marant, but without all the embellishments; there’s a shared understanding of what women really want to wear. This clutch is subversive – it shows that modern doesn’t have to mean minimalist - but at the same time it would work with anything.

All images from www.style.com.