:: SHOWstudio - Shelf Appeal ::

Once upon a time, the handbag represented a minefield of sartorial error. For our mothers' generation, the potential embarrassment over whether one's bag was the correct colour/texture/length to match one's outfit meant buying versions in every hue, skin and handle available. More recently, anxieties have been less related to the question of 'blending' them into an outfit and more towards making them stand out. The shift towards accessories as a bankable revenue stream for the major fashion houses has been met with a changing attitude towards these products from the consumer. As prices for the 'signature' accessories have escalated, many women treat their shoes and handbags as their central seasonal purchases and for the rest of their wardrobes continue to buy the less 'fashionable' staples they know suit them.

Flying in the face of the prevailing desire for an accessory that communicates brand-loyalty and wealth, Ann-Sofie Back's Blouse Bag eschews flashy, recognisable styling and aims to literally blend into its wearer's outfit. Constructed out of two inexpensive components, -a cheap gilt, clasp purse on a metal chain and a red, washed-silk shirt from knock-down high-street store H&M- the piece speaks more of the aesthetic than commercial imperatives of fashion. Part of Back's Autumn/Winter '04 exploration of the silhouette, the bag drapes down the side of its wearer, the blouse's knotted cuffs creating a final, pendulous ornament. Neither the original bag nor the blouse is rendered unrecognisable: Back blurs tawdry accessory into workaday shirt to create a hybrid garment of undeniable elegance. Though marketed by the designer to "the women that aspire toward glamour but fall short of achieving it", the Blouse Bag underlines the alchemic power of Ann-Sofie Back and her singular capacity for grace.

Text by Penny Martin

Shelf Appeal archive
15.12.04: Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf
20.10.04: Blouse Bag by Ann-Sofie Back
30.09.04: Contact Lenses by Christian Dior
07.09.04: BMX by Y-3
25.08.04: Helmet by Stephen Jones for GIBO by Julie Verhoeven
05.08.04: Suitcase by Bottega Veneta
21.07.04: Sequinned Knickers by Alexander McQueen
08.07.04: Tennis Court Pump by Chanel
18.06.04: Parasol by Eley Kishimoto
14.05.04: Toolkit by Prada
07.05.04: Feather Headband by Miu Miu
26.04.04: Measuring Tape Belt by Tatty Devine
08.04.04: Easter Bunny Biscuits by Fortnum & Mason
31.03.04: Teapot by Vivienne Westwood for Coalport
24.03.04: Hair Brush by BLESS
12.03.04: Canderel Dispenser by Lagerfeld Gallery
04.03.04: Volleyball by Y-3
26.02.04: Bracelet by YSL
16.02.04: Lace Mask by Lanvin
04.02.04: Necklace by Marni
26.01.04: Straw Hat by Yohji Yamamoto
16.01.04: Edo Bells by Martin Margiela
19.12.03: Shimmering Stilettos by Viktor & Rolf

With thanks to Jane Audas