Innovation in the handbag space is rare – but when it’s done well, it can rebirth and solidify a brand’s relevance.
Luxury handbags are more than just accessories, they serve as status symbols and style statements for wearers, while driving revenues and crystallising image for brands. Since heritage labels lean heavily on their best-selling classics, the importance of innovating and seeding new designs in the market isn’t always obvious. And as clients weigh purchases carefully amid rampant price inflation, luxury brands’ “new” handbags increasingly include heritage-inspired designs that feel like they’ve been around forever (such as Balenciaga’s Rodeo, a soft satchel strongly inspired by Hermès’ Kelly) as well as reissues from their own archives (like Louis Vuitton’s revived collaboration with artist Takashi Murakami).
Yet when a label plants its flag on a convincing, innovative handbag design, it can mark a new era for a brand, like Phoebe Philo’s wing-shaped Céline bags did a decade ago. Last year, Alaïa did it with the Teckel, which quickly became a market sensation and set the tone for a wave of sleek, ladylike bags with a modern twist – much like Philo’s designs, which defined an era of feminine style with their minimalist, geometric yet soft aesthetic.
“It’s not about innovation for the sake of innovation, it’s about how the market reacts. A strong handbag shape aligns the identity of the product with the identity of the brand. The best designs aren’t just trendy, they capture the essence of the house and resonate deeply with customers,” said Marc Valeanu, a freelance creative director specialising in bags and accessories for brands including Chloé, Delvaux and Lemaire.
The Teckel’s innovative elongated shape, reminiscent of its namesake wiener dog, stood out in a market dominated by totes, satchels and crossbody bags. While Alaïa isn’t the only brand to offer rectangular bags (Jil Sander, Khaite and Reformation and have similarly oblong bags in their new collections) the recognisable form has become synonymous with Richemont’s most talked-about fashion maison of late. “Continued strong momentum at Alaïa (in particular La Ballerine, Le Teckel bag)… broadly offset lower performances at other maisons,” Richemont said in its latest earnings release.
Rebirth by Bag
A great handbag is often a luxury brand’s totemic product. “Bags are one of the most democratic products in luxury. They don’t require sizing,” said Valeanu. “Now, more than ever, the market expects each house to come up with something distinctive.”
According to Valeanu, brands are expected to speak with one voice across all categories, from ready-to-wear to accessories. “Fifteen years ago, bag designers worked independently from the rest of the brand. Now, they’re working closely with creative directors and even jewelry teams, because everything needs to feel connected. The expression of the brand needs to be louder than ever.” Alaïa’s latest jewelry and shoe collections feature heart shapes prominently.
Richemont appointed Pieter Mulier to Alaïa’s helm in 2021, in hopes that the long-time deputy of star designer Raf Simons would breathe new life into the brand that was long beloved for its sexy, feminine vision, but had fallen under the radar.
Since Mulier’s appointment, the brand has made strides to reposition itself as ultra-femme in a relevant, modern way, with the Teckel becoming a standout piece. Since its launch, the bag has sold out repeatedly. Its shape resonates with the broader style shift toward a modern interpretation of polished, ladylike silhouettes. Alaïa also launched the Cœur, a heart-shaped bag, as part of its Winter/Spring 2022 collection, adding to the brand’s roster of sculptural, statement-making accessories. In Alaïa’s Fall/Winter 2025 show, a variety of new shapes made an appearance, from poufy forms slung over the wrist, halfmoon crossbodies, cylindrical and top handle bags.
“Launching the Teckel, the Coeur, and other innovative bags has been a great re-entry, marking a new era for Alaïa,” said fashion influencer Bettina Looney. “One great bag can really get people through the door again. The Teckel is a perfect example as it’s been super popular, and they’re always changing things up, whether it’s the handle, size, or fabrics used.” These bags have cemented the brand’s position with a more fashion-forward audience compared to the brand’s previous programme of laser-cut bags.
While quickly sold-out in the primary market, the Teckel’s desirability is further reflected in its resale performance. According to research by Truss, the Teckel boasts an 80 percent sell-through rate on the resale market, far exceeding the luxury handbag average of 53 percent.
Establishing Credibility
A distinct bag shape is often the key for designer brands like Lemaire to establish credibility in accessories.
“Some customers want extreme practicality, others want the exact opposite: a hyper-expressive design that feels like a statement piece,” said Valeanu. Lemaire’s Croissant crossbody does both—and has helped fuel sales and word-of-mouth for the Parisian label.
The key style offers a playful touch to a ready-to-wear offering centred on minimalist, workwear-inspired basics. The brand has continued to build out its handbag offer with other distinctive figurative designs, like its clamshell-shaped Carlos bag, or its Scarf style. To underscore this vision during Paris Fashion week, Lemaire collaborated with Chilean artist Carlos Peñafiel in an exhibition where many of his sculptural leather goods were showcased. With Lemaire’s arty, playful handbag identity now established, they are also pushing more practical shapes like the utilitarian Gear bag.
In the online luxury space, signature shapes have picked up momentum as interest in heavily logoed designs cooled. “The Baguette shape remains dominant, with sleek interpretations from Alaïa and Bottega Veneta standing out,” said Tiffany Hsu, Mytheresa’s chief buying officer. “Meanwhile, satchel silhouettes like Balenciaga’s Bel Air and Bottega’s Ciao Ciao blend versatility and modernity, making them staples in today’s market. We see a growing interest in bags that not only embody timeless elegance but also reflect bold, fashion-forward design.”
One of social media’s most-followed leather and bag experts, Tanner Leatherstein, notes that brands across all price ranges are focused on developing distinctive designs. “I don’t think there’s just one shape of the moment, but unique silhouettes are more popular and appreciated by the market,” he said.
Constant innovation is key to avoid becoming a one-hit-wonder. Mansur Gavriel’s bucket bag is one of the best examples of how a single, well-designed handbag can catapult an emerging brand to global recognition. Launched in 2013, its signature leather bucket bag quickly became a cult favorite, amassing long waitlists and putting bucket shapes back on the map. However, the brand has struggled to come up with successors to its initial standout success, instead doubling down on its hero bucket bag to this day.
The Row, which received $1 billion in investment from an array of French luxury families, has made its regularly sold-out Margaux bag a defining piece for the brand, reinforcing its quiet luxury ethos with its understated design. While the updated bowling bag shape is not visually striking, it embodies the brand’s ethos as a champion of understated, logo-free elegance.
Business Driver
Over time, the business impact of a successful handbag innovation can be huge.
At Christian Dior, sales tripled in four years after designer Maria Grazia Chiuri and CEO Pietro Beccari revamped the couture house’s handbag programme with an eye to reducing its dependence on the flagship Lady style.
The Book Tote, introduced by Chiuri in 2018, quickly became a brand staple. The oversized, boxy style catered to frequent travellers and other busy, mobile customers. Its expansive surface allowed for intricate embroidery, including personalised monograms or seasonal special editions. The brand also relaunched its early 2000s Saddle bag, the Bobby camera bag, and Vibe bowling bag, ensuring a rapid pace of novelty.
Prada has also benefitted from a renewed focus on innovation. After struggling for years to make up for declining sales of its flagship Galleria style, it’s successfully built momentum around a triangle monogram launched in 2022, as well as a line of belted handbags: its Buckle style saw a 280 percent increase in online searches month-over-month in October, Lyst said last fall. Its bold oversized buckle detail, inspired by archival Prada pieces, adds a touch of industrial chic to the brand’s aesthetic. Prada’s little sister brand Miu Miu similarly employed the buckle detail in its 2022 Aventure bag, a style prominently touted by influencers like Linoya Friedman. Prada and Miu Miu are among the few luxury brands to have grown last year amid a market downturn for luxury.
Copycat Death
Leatherstein warns that while shape-driven handbags create hype, they can face challenges in long-term adoption. “In most cases, unique shapes become impractical. It’s more of an accessory than a functional bag,” he said. The micro-bag trend spearheaded by Jacquemus is a case in point.
It’s also hard to patent a signature shape — a brand would have to prove they came up with a shape first, and even slight variations could void a claim — meaning copycats are nearly inevitable.
In the Teckel’s case, imitations prove its current appeal. While copies can be seen as a compliment, for Valeanu, they can be a harbinger of declining relevance for a bag — underscoring the need for continued innovation. “When you start seeing the shape get copied everywhere, it’s already over,” he said. “That’s why designers must be constantly translating the zeitgeist into new silhouettes while staying true to their house’s identity.”
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