NAME: Goya Long Chain

TYPE: Clutch

BRAND: Loewe

HEIGHT: 11.5cm

WEIGHT: 0.55kg

LIKES: Renaissance paintings, scouring galleries for undiscovered artists and soft toys from Steiff

PERSONALITY: The younger, more compact sister to the minimalist Goya (she’s a shoulder bag) who debuted last year, this charmer whom we’re nicknaming GLC is an art lover with the spirit of a child. She always has an optimistic front (silky calfskin or teddy-bear-like mohair in happy hues like lilac and pea green). For an even more fun side to her, there’s her detachable chain strap with doughnut-shaped links

NAME: Fendigraphy

TYPE: Hobo

BRAND: Fendi

HEIGHT: 24.5cm

WEIGHT: 0.7kg

LIKES: Disco dancing, logomania and the thrill of turning heads

PERSONALITY: A lover of wit and life, Fendigraphy likes to charge ahead, leaving admirers watching from behind – cue the oversized logo in gold-toned metal across her base that’s only visible when she’s perched or hoisted high on the arm of her companion. Her crescent-shaped curves and plush exterior (soft calf leather, suede, python or croco) also mean that she’s perfect for cosying up to.

NAME: Re-Edition 1995

TYPE: Tote-ish

BRAND: Prada

HEIGHT: 21cm

WEIGHT: 0.5kg

LIKES: ’90s minimalism, Le Corbusier architecture and Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities

PERSONALITY: The latest archive revival from the Italian label exudes a tough, go-getting exterior, but she’s in fact one unfussy millennial who lives by the tenet that less is more. Look closer and you’ll notice the raw-edged construction on her elegant and compact geometric frame crafted from sleek brushed leather – a rare mix of cool and refinement.

NAME: Bamboo 1947

TYPE: Top-handle

BRAND: Gucci

HEIGHT: 11.9cm

WEIGHT: 0.44kg

LIKES: Agnes Varda films, Japanese floral arrangements and antique furniture auctions

PERSONALITY: Consider her the trendiest scion from the Bamboo bag legacy (her moniker pays homage to the year her ancestor was born). She bears all the hallmarks of her iconic family – that structured purse shape; the unexpected handle created as a result of post-war shortages. Yet her size (medium, small or mini); skin (black patent or cuir leather in vivid shades ranging from orange to pink); and interchangeable Web and leather shoulder straps make her every bit a 2020s, personality-first kind of gal.

NAME: Maximors

TYPE: Mini duffle

BRAND: Hermes

HEIGHT: 12cm

WEIGHT: 0.58kg

LIKES: Dressage, biomorphic jewellery and Brancusi sculptures

PERSONALITY: Here’s a sophisticated former competitive equestrian who has found a softer side to her athletic discipline. Note her structured cylindrical silhouette crafted from pliant Volupto leather (available in shades of black, white and brown) and organic metal handles sculpted like the joint links of a horsebit – both of which also make her a fail-proof head-turner at gallery openings and art world parties.

NAME: Letter Pouch

TYPE: Envelope clutch

BRAND: Saint Laurent

HEIGHT: 12cm

WEIGHT: 0.2kg

LIKES: Flea markets, holiday escapes to Marrakech, fiery red lipstick

PERSONALITY: Basically Paloma Picasso reborn. From her glossy patent leather finish to her nearly flat form that fits perfectly in hand or can be wedged chicly into one’s waistband, Miss Letter Pouch here possesses all the style, seductiveness and idiosyncratic Parisian-ness that Picasso – her hero and inspiration – did.

NAME: Unknown at press time, but her maker has her down as “logo-embossed leather top-handle bag”

TYPE: Elevated bowling-style bag

BRAND: Miu Miu

HEIGHT: 19cm

WEIGHT: 0.75kg

LIKES: Being contrarian, Jane Austen novels and the 1992 film Basic Instinct 

PERSONALITY: A youthful soul who enjoys shaking up the mundane, she needs no fancy name because her mix of irreverence and sensibility speaks plenty. With a pragmatic rectangular form and cushiony soft leather finish that’s been embossed all over with Miu Miu’s graphic logo, she’s both a day and night person who always looks polished, thanks to her extra long, gold-toned chain shoulder straps.

NAME: One Stud

TYPE: Shoulder bag

BRAND: Valentino

HEIGHT: 14cm

WEIGHT: 0.55kg

LIKES: Midday espressos, street photography and dining alfresco

PERSONALITY: For all her modern, too-cool attitude encapsulated in her most distinguishable feature – a single, maxi-sized stud with an antique brass finish that doubles as a clasp – One Stud oozes elegance. She’s crafted from plush nappa leather that’s been reverse-stitched to hide any seams and is equipped with slinky gold-toned chains that can be adjusted to be worn short, long or as a crossbody – the kind of friend one could hang out all day and anywhere with.

This article first appeared in the April 2022 Humans Of Fashion edition of FEMALE