FASHIONTRIBES DAILY 5 MIN PODCAST: Bags Bag Top Spot at Premiere Classe Accessories Show. FASHIONTRIBES FASHION PODCAST

  (Bags by Minority &  Leapioperaie)

At the recent Premiere Classe accessories show in Paris, bags stomped the competition, emerging as the heavyweight category amongst the 12,984 retailers (compared with 12,300 last year), over half which which were non-French (U.S. attendance fell from 11 percent last year to 8 percent). According to WWD, retailers were on the hunt for novelty pieces, undiscovered designers, and plan to beef up the amount of selling space devoted to accessories.

Some of the stronger bag trends included:

ANTIQUED & TEXTURED METALLICS "Patent leather and metallic styles are everywhere, but what's new in terms of treatments is a prevalence of washed, crinkled or ruched styles," Ed Burstell, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of beauty, accessories and shoes at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, told WWD. "Fabrics and skins still have that aged look about them, this time applied to metallics and patent leathers," agrees Rick Cytynbaum, buyer for Canadian store TNT. "There are some fantastic techniques with Italian leather here," says jewelry and accessories designer Hedieh Loubier, ho was attending to get a handle on the trends for private clients.

BODY-CONSCIOUS MESSENGER BAGS Slim & sleek tote bags as well as body-hugging messenger styles looked fresh and new, reported Bergdorf's Burstell.

CLUTCHES "Short shoulder bags looked newest and of course clutches that were part of every collection," added Burstell. "We're seeing more hand-held bags than in the past," agrees Alissa Emerson, owner of Tuesday's Child, a designer shop in Scarsdale, N.Y. who was in search of bags with pleats & puckered fabrics (Henri Beguelin).

CHAINS While still around, chains are now covered in fabric, Chains were still apparent, but are now covered in fabric (Avril Gau bags).

EXOTIC SKINS Taking in the was "plethora of leathers, with plenty of python and crocodile," was the buyer for London’s Fortnum & Mason.

CROCHET Bags by Leapioperaie in particular were singled out as fabulous.

• For the Fashiontribes Daily 5 Minute Podcast about this, visit PodcasterNews.com.

- Lesley Scott

(via WWD; photos: Dominque Maitre for WWD)

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