Cast your mind back to Dior autumn/winter 18 and you’ll remember a celebration of the swinging 60s, a powerful call-to-arms of female liberation and the return of the early noughties cult classic, the saddle bag.
Introduced to the Dior catwalk back in 1999 by then Creative Director John Galliano for spring/summer 00, the saddle bag soon became the It Bag of the early noughties. From Carrie Bradshaw to Elle Macpherson to Beyoncé, the micro horse saddle shaped bag was the ultimate over the shoulder accessory, and signalled a new era in bold fashion freedom.
It was this freedom that Maria Grazia Chiuri wanted to capture when she decided to reimagine the bag for 2018. Revised into two formats: monochrome leather and a 70s-inspired patchwork style — the words “Peace and love” inscribed on the latter — the modern take on this iconic style will no doubt be a hit in an era of 90s/00s nostalgia.
With Prada bringing back its discontinued Prada Sport logo for autumn/winter 18, Virgil Abloh previewing a pair of new Louis Vuitton “millionaire” sunglasses ahead of his menswear show last month, and Kim Jones bringing the saddle bag to the men’s catwalk for the first time in his debut Dior Homme show, it seems fashion can’t get enough inspiration from the once-maligned era.
The Dior Saddle Bag is available to buy now.
