The word “archival” is now arguably one of the most used fashion terms, followed closely by “iconic”. With new designers taking over the helm of the major fashion brands, it’s only natural for them to revisit the archives for inspiration and revive the house codes. While some might argue that recycling ideas is a lacklustre step, “what’s old is new again” has inevitably become a cultural force that alters how we dress. Scouring trophy vintage pieces, for example, has been on the fashion agenda for many, be it the street scenesters or Hollywood celebrities. Securing the ultimate vintage piece is now equated to a luxury status symbol.
For brands, tracing its roots back—if done right—could be a pillar for overall sales. After all, not every fashion house has a rich archive to support and fall back on all the time. Louis Vuitton, for example, pulled out the trunks from their time capsule to create a runway made out of a thousand trunks, reminding the fashion crowd that while they may have come far as a fashion mogul, they were once a prestigious malletier—the Maison was deemed to be one of the very first trunkmakers in history. Luxury brands like Gucci, Moynat, Goyard, and more too, started as trunkmakers or travel leather goods artisans before expanding their fashion empire.
The Glorious Heydays
Travel, like fashion, is another luxury status symbol, despite it being tremendously accessible in today’s age, it was once reserved for the elitists. Due to the tedious logistics and spun-out journeys in the skies or on the sea, sturdy carriers were essential to store their belongings—often including tailored-
made clothes that are weighty and cumbersome to store. The appreciation for the craftsmanship is unduly and travelling light was never a concern for many. Most voyagers would turn to the best malletier at the time such as Louis Vuitton—who was appointed as the trunkmaker by the former Empress of France and had later introduced a game-changing flat-top trunk that was water-tight, comparably lightweight and easily stackable at a time when trunks were only available with chest alike rounded tops.
The innovation did not stop there. The designer later created the world’s first unpickable lock that tackled the security issue many travellers were facing at the time. The lock later became an emblem for the Maison and even today, remains a signature for the house. Intrinsic to the brand, the now-iconic LV Monogram Canvas with the Damier pattern, actually started as the skin of the trunks. A checked canvas-wrapped trunk was not only the most practical and covetable item for a traveller with top-notch fashion flair but also became a symbol of wealth. His remarkable success was acknowledged worldwide among the well-travelled, giving the then-trunkmaking business a portal to engaging with other aristocrats and royal customers who later became the clients—a strong foundation—for his fashion venture.
When air travel became ubiquitous among voyagers, Guccio Gucci became known for his eponymous artisanal suitcase atelier—inspired by his experience as a porter at London’s The Savoy Hotel. Malle Haute (High Trunks) became redundant and smaller leather suitcases crafted by Gucci were essential
among travellers in the 1930s. Keeping their suitcases small, the house continued to release variations such as hatboxes, jewellery boxes, and garment bags that catered to the luxury needs of travellers. Taking travelling in style literally, suitcases became a fashion accessory for travellers as a myriad of designs
such as adding dividers or wraps with crocodile leather were introduced. At the same time, the Italian fashion house also embarked on the path of making handbags like the Bamboo 1947 that were loved massively by Hollywood.
In the 70s, the demand for hefty trunks declined immensely. A New York Times article published in 1973
showed that Saks Fifth Avenue, a popular department store in New York City “sold its first Vuitton trunk [in 1972] in a decade” as compared to selling about 50 trunks in a year at its peak. It’s not hard to understand why malletier-turned-fashion-house is a common route as consumers’ luxury needs evolved. Prada, for example, was renowned for its travel leather goods of prime quality before Muccia Prada took over and rebranded it as the epitome of a modern woman’s wardrobe with ready-to-wear designs.
It goes without saying that designer bags and small leather goods are walking billboards for fashion brands. Many fashion businesses run on the sale of bags and rely on leather goods to indicate the market’s demands and map out strategies accordingly. Hence, a well-grounded foundation in leather craftsmanship is crucial for them. For a malletier with fully-equipped workshops and skilled workers, segueing into bagmaking was a natural path to take.
Back to the Roots
The luxury market has slipped into a downturn recently, with stocks plunging and a significant decline in sales. As the world goes through financial uncertainty, consumers are more conscious and have a higher awareness of spending on luxury items. The phenomenon of greedflation has also affected buying decisions among consumers as the increase in price tags became questionable.
Are brands prioritising profit margin over quality and craftsmanship—the main concern for most luxury consumers—especially for leather goods? The question arises: how do we justify the price we are investing? Price-gouging is a double-edged sword that would alienate and in the era of social media, drive the customers to niche workshops or emerging brands that could provide craftsmanship that is on par with the heritage houses but cost a fraction of the price. The competition is ferocious. In this case, the appeal lies beyond the product itself. It is the storytelling, world-building, and cultural authorities that no other brands can replicate or replace—a story of their own.
Designers new and old are actively looking for the next “big thing”—mini crossbody bags and capacious totes had their fair share of returning en vogue throughout the decade. Bag charms are also currently at their peak in fame—but for a trend that expresses individuality, the “Jane Birkinification” is rather feeble and insubstantial to be the spine of a brand. And as fashion moves into a practical and utilitarian direction, we ask ourselves: what is a worthwhile investment, in the sense of price per use?
Ticking all the boxes, a trunk suitcase is a medium that creates a brand narrative, blending factual—the irreplaceable craftsmanship as a malletier and the practicality of the product—and emotional elements that tap into the obsession of nostalgia, or “nowstalgia”, that is dominating the decade. Making travel leather goods is not uncharted waters for many heritage brands but how they revive it could be the leap of faith that turn the corner. Louis Vuitton’s Keepall, for example, is one of the bags of our times that drew inspiration from travel carriers in the past. With various sizes, it caters to different needs and withstood the test of time as one of the most loved bags. The Prada Cahier released in 2016, on the other hand, retains its throne on the top of a collector’s list thanks to its unique design that mimics a trunk. Trunks
or trunk-inspired elements would perhaps, be the new old thing, like a pebble thrown into stagnant waters to cause ripples—or even waves.
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