It’s high time to bring it out.
If there’s a bag we weren’t expecting, it’s this one. For several months now, he has been strutting on the arm of all the fashionistas. Compact, foldable and mini size, despite characteristics that push it towards discretion and stylistic minimalism, it is far from going unnoticed. On seasoned fashionistas, on the posh catwalks of fashion week, in the streets of big cities, on the style pages of major magazines… It is everywhere.
Satin appearance, ultra flexible silhouette made entirely of fabric, closure by cord and not by zip: it takes on the appearance of an interior pouch more than a bag in its own right. Our grandmothers wore it and still wear it today. Lost in our elders’ attics, sold in flea markets or on the markets, the “Pouch bag” – translated “pochon bag” in French – is at the center of all conversations in the modosphere.
Beneath its apparent simplicity, it gains all its fashion credentials by dressing in endless embroidery, rhinestones and pearls, tassels similar to the curtains of the most chic homes, fringes worthy of the 70’s decade… Nanushka, Sophie Buhaior even Staud for high-end ready-to-wear offerings; Zara for more accessible iterations… The possibilities are endless.
Its fashion legitimacy no longer needs to be proven. The most prestigious houses have happily taken up it, offering a modernized version of the Pouch bag for big evenings as well as for ordinary days. Celine, Loewe, Prada, Saint Laurent have all designed their own Pouch bag.
As for its origins, some Internet users from Southeast Asia attribute “Desi” roots to it. The Desi community encompasses the Indian subcontinent and therefore brings together people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and even Sri Lanka.
The Pouch bag is none other than a version inspired by a bag called “Potli”, which the women of the community wear with their traditional outfits – notably Saris. So for those who don’t want to spend a cent, second hand is your best friend.
