When it comes to accessories, 2016 wasn’t exactly the year of the bag. Oversize earrings and platform shoes easily took the title of the most buzzed-about pieces, leaving the bag industry with the task to find new ways to innovate and excite shoppers. In a way, the absence of an It bag proved exciting for handbags in general, allowing them to veer toward more novelty shapes, brighter colors, and stranger designs. And boy, did they go there.
This year kicked off with Demna Gvasalia’s Balenciaga debut, which brought with it the return of the supersize shopper in eye-catching stripes. Then came Valentino’s dainty micro bags, Maison Margiela’s posh backpack, and Chanel’s glimmering LED-studded Boy bag. Not convinced that 2016 is the year of the novelty bag? Let the 15 most memorable totes, cross-bodies, and clutches of the year prove it to you, below.
Balenciaga
There are totes and then there is Balenciaga’s massive shopper, which walked down the runway with eccentrically tailored plaid coats and sky-high platforms. The giant size made it an editorial favorite, though the maison also produced smaller version that became quick street style hits.
Loewe
It will be hard for Loewe to top the runaway success of the Puzzle bag, but its new half-moon hobo could come close. Appearing on both the brand’s Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 runways, the style is available in a plethora of colors, each adorned with several detailed straps. Consider it the new favorite of the ladylike set.
Louis Vuitton
Sure, this is technically a phone case, but in this day and age, isn’t your phone all you need for a night on the town? Louis Vuitton’s metallic and monogrammed options are already on every editor’s wish lists, making it only a matter of time before they take over street style.
Chanel
Chanel’s LED bags were the most Instagrammed aspect of the brand’s Spring 2017 show. Their popularity is none too surprising—it’s pretty hard to look away from a twinkling Chanel number, especially one that writes the brand’s double-C logo in lights.
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Gucci
Gucci’s collaboration with GucciGhost birthed many bags and accessories, none more memorable than this kitschy take on a shopping bag with the word Real scrawled at its top in spray paint. Carried by Beyoncé and Madonna, the tote is the latest in a string of handbag hits from Alessandro Michele’s brand.
Céline
Céline’s Phoebe Philo has been at the top of the handbag heap for years, which makes the endorsement of top-handle frame bags on her Spring 2017 runway something of an omen. The structured styles were shown in a wide range of colors and textures, so don’t be surprised when you and everyone you know is carrying one in 2017.
Thom Browne
No bag brought a smile to the faces of fashion editors quite like Thom Browne’s furry interpretation of his dog, Hector. The wire-haired dachshund’s inanimate likeness was such a mood-lifter at the Fall 2016 shows it inspired a whole range of leather versions in candy colors for Browne’s Resort outing.
Valentino
Pierpaolo Piccioli’s solo Valentino debut was rife with lovely details, among them a series of tiny bags slung across the torsos of every model. In blush, chartreuse, cyan, red, and black, the petite bags were actually lipstick cases with compact mirrors attached—a clever way to introduce the maison’s first beauty line. Many of the small cross-bodies were also paired with slightly larger flap bags in Valentino’s signature studs.
Altuzarra
Altuzarra’s much-loved handbag collection continues to evolve and grow, and the style that made waves this year was a leather whipstitched shoulder bag from Fall 2016. Unlike much of the novelty bags out there, this piece is as practical as it is cute with a large body, subtle detailing, and chain strap that allows for ample accessorizing—or not.
Dior
Maria Grazia Chiuri’s first collection for Dior featured several new takes on logo prints, including these shoulder bags with slip-through slots for the wearer’s hands. Backstage at the Spring 2017 show, models had a blast posing with their logoed bags—chances are, shoppers will too.
Coach 1941
Stuart Vevers has become the king of the quirky bag at Coach 1941. Fitting, then, that his Spring 2017 bags featured the King himself, Elvis. The fangirl bags have real appeal, especially when decked out with Coach’s many accessories, from scarves to patches to padlock bracelets.
J.W.Anderson
In 2016, it was hard to look at a street style photo and not see one of J.W.Anderson’s Pierce bags. The punctured style was everywhere. We’d credit its success to its subversive hardware—and the fact that it’s actually large enough to hold more than just a wallet and a phone.
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs enlisted artist Julie Verhoeven to collaborate on a range of items for his Spring 2017 collection. This camouflage backpack, complete with a twisted toad and snakeskin patches, is just the kind of weirdly fun accessory that will stick in our minds for seasons to come.
Sacai
Chitose Abe launched her debut collection of handbags this year with some help from designer Katie Hillier. The resulting hybrid styles are just the beginning of what is sure to be a new bag legacy.
Maison Margiela
You might never carry this Maison Margiela backpack to the yoga studio, but it will be hard to shake the image of just how chic you’d be if you did.