As cylindrical or barrel bag styles go, it’s usually the bucket bag that gets predictably “revived” every couple of seasons like clockwork. This time, its cousin, the duffle, appears to be making a mini comeback (and in miniaturised form).
Perhaps the last time the duffle was truly an It style to covet was in the early ’00s when every starlet worth their salt sported popular pieces such as the 2004 iteration of Louis Vuitton’s Papillon which has become one of the most famous examples of the duffle bag style today.
Last June, creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere renewed the spotlight on Louis Vuitton’s evergreen Papillon bag with a new interpretation. Titled the Papillon Trunk and introduced in the Pre-fall 2021 collection, it saw the classic Papillon bag shrunken and contemporised through the addition of the metal hardware of the maison’s travel suitcases.
A few months later, Telfar Clemens announced during his New York Fashion Week S/S’22 show that he’d be launching the Telfar Duffle – a sporty, retro-ish take on the style that comes in three sizes. The Telfar Duffle is also his first new bag design beyond the brand’s signature (and incredibly popular) Shopping Bag that debuted back in 2014.
Fast forward to the upcoming Spring/Summer 2022 collections and we’re seeing more takes on the duffle style popping up, notably at Jil Sander, Burberry and Hermes. We’re particularly enamoured with the latter’s new Maximors bag, which can be worn both as a crossbody style (the sling is hidden) or perhaps as an objet d’art clutch.
A key new bag at Hermes is the Maximors, which is distinguished by its cylindrical, barrel shape and an exquisite, movable handle.
While the duffle-silhouette trend has yet to truly blow up in the sense that you’ll be seeing it everywhere you go, a few brands have introduced their takes – so why not be one of the early adopters of this Y2K trend made good?
Below, our picks.
