You hear them coming before you see them. From simple flowing scarves, necklaces, colorful beads, large stuffed animals, and even a nostalgic-looking Tamagotchi, bag charms have quickly become a trendy addition to classic accessories.
With Pinterest reporting a 240% increase in searches this summer, these eclectic accessories seem to be an accessible way to add personalization and personality to mundane everyday outfits. At the same time, as luxury brands begin to capitalize on this opportunity, the question arises as to whether bag charms can truly be a way to express individuality, or are they just another short-lived trend waiting to be replaced?
Charms have become a tool to make your style look more unique and individual. Compared to the self-contained “clean girl” aesthetic that gained traction around 2022 and has become the norm in recent fashion, the glamor is flashy, both figuratively and literally. A desire for maximalism and overt expression has taken over the general public, and the need for streamlined pieces has given way to disorganized trinket collections.
Luxury fashion houses were quick to catch this trend. Miu Miu’s Spring 2024 show featured a number of weathered-looking leather bags filled with misplaced items such as high heels and decorated with various arrangements of ropes, chains and collars. Compared to the typical pure look of typical luxury goods, these bags are messy, remnants of a hurried night or morning, flowing and not constricting to accommodate the items inside. did.
While Miu Miu took a more minimalist approach to charms, the Coach Fall/Winter 2024 show featured large leather bags adorned with smaller ones, adorned with charms ranging from apples and taxis to the Statue of Liberty. on display and taken to the next level.
Social media and runways have combined to make it easier to find luxury bag charms. Data analysis firm EDITED reported that the number of new bag charms available at luxury brands in the US and UK has increased 47 percent year over year, with 32 percent of styles currently out of stock.
Consumers seem satisfied with existing options, and bag charms have become a gateway to luxury for many. While some people may not be able to afford a bag, they can certainly afford a branded mini accessory, and Coach’s Cherry Charm, at $95, is an affordable option. Fashion lovers can also look for knockoffs, such as a $10 Amazon replica of the Hermès Leather Horse, which costs about $600.
Still, a look back at the core of the trend may prove to be at odds with the luxury boom. By using unconventional items that are initially found lying around in a typical living room, Charm aims to demonstrate originality, reuse and redesign into new ways of expression. Accessories are storytelling, complementing the overall image of a lived experience rather than emphasizing trending items.
A leaning toward customization can serve as a form of live collection and curation. Attraction can be a childhood memory, an important milestone or style trend, or a series of changing memories shared over a long, cozy conversation.
I look in my bag and see a ring that no longer fits, a gold band with a blue heart in the middle, a gift my parents gave me for my 5th birthday, and this is where I hang the things I was obsessed with. think of a way. Same as my mother’s. I’m thinking of ways to express the stages of my life.
Luxury brands, on the other hand, seek to express the serendipity and spontaneity of everyday life. Although stylized to look authentic, there are noticeable signs of planning behind the “messy” looks on the runway. This is best seen by brand name tags and monograms that are inconspicuously visible from the clothes laid out “messed up” in a packed bag. It seeks to further encourage over-purchasing at abnormally high prices.
An element associated with the ‘Clean Girl’ aesthetic is ‘quiet luxury’, featuring timeless pieces that reflect premium brand codes without overtly flaunting wealth. Maximalist bag charms initially seem to push back against the aforementioned aesthetic through more approachable and varied styling, but chasing the same high-end trend items may seem like just “quiet luxury” It just ends up repackaging it into something “noisy”. After all, everyone will have the same cherry charm, resulting in an unforgettable uniform of maximalism.
The continued production by both luxury brands and counterfeit products only promotes overconsumption, a problem currently affecting the fashion industry, with serious consequences for the environment.
Fashion trends call for customization, and bag charms are a great example of an opportunity for free self-expression. The search for ornaments can begin with self-prohibition from purchasing new things, and as consumers we are under pressure to be creative, reuse, and adjust our personal image appropriately. Masu.
—Staff writer Erlisa Demneri can be reached at erlisa.demneri@thecrimson.com.
