Not just my mother's bag
VOGUE India|September 2020
Earlier this year, Alessandro Michele launched the Jackie 1961, a new version of the classic, spotlighting an important conversation in fashion. Nonita Kalra delves into the handbag as a totem of a personal and cultural narrative in the year of the pandemic
Nonita Kalra
Not just my mother's bag

It seemed almost prescient that one of spring 2020’s biggest trends was the micro bag. Spotted on runways, this necklace bag (with some of the hottest offerings as small as two inches) was designed to fit just a lipstick, a credit card and AirPods. A representative of a minimalist lifestyle (with the invariably impressive price tag), the nano sac was all about travelling light and paring down your belongings to the bare essentials.

Post March 2020, as the world came to a hard stop, this edit became the norm. Conversations were dominated by safety concerns and sanitisers, and face masks fast became the new black. A petite pouch was now seen as a must-have only because it could store house keys while leaving your hands free to spray disinfectant on every possible surface.

It has been over four months since I took out my favourite tote, let alone thought about accessorising my outfit. Truth be told, it has been that long since I wore a pair of heels or slipped into a little black dress. And yet, I don’t miss that as much as I miss organising my handbag, often packed with makeup, essential medicines, a hairbrush, pens, my wallet, dark glasses, prescription spectacles, tampons and, in a crisis, even a Tide stain remover stick. Now, my bags lie empty, wiped down every month and returned to their dust covers. Is this where their future lies? Unused and unnecessary?

This story is from the September 2020 edition of VOGUE India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2020 edition of VOGUE India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM VOGUE INDIAView All
The Real Deal
VOGUE India

The Real Deal

Triptii Dimri's unfiltered spirit shines through as she races ahead on her journey to the field of stars.

time-read
10+ mins  |
March - April 2024
Mrs.Prada
VOGUE India

Mrs.Prada

Almost everyone refers to Miuccia Prada in the most formal of ways, but she herself has never been one to stand on ceremony. WENDELL STEAVENSON meets a designer who has built an empire in her own image: iconic, iconoclastic and  enormously influential.

time-read
6 mins  |
March - April 2024
Happily ever laughter
VOGUE India

Happily ever laughter

South Asians have long clamoured for a seat at the comedy table. Now, Vidura BR, Sabeen Sadiq, Hari Kondabolu and Abby Govindan are in on all the jokes

time-read
7 mins  |
March - April 2024
Anchors aweigh
VOGUE India

Anchors aweigh

Having moved houses almost every year of her life, KALYANI ADHAV's experiences are proof that home is not a place, it's a feeling

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2024
Console sisters
VOGUE India

Console sisters

India's female gamers are rewriting the age-old narrative that views women as objects of desire or damsels in need of saving.

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024
Soft serve
VOGUE India

Soft serve

His untimely disappearance from the big screen nine years ago may have caused serious heartburn, but Imran Khan is ready to pick up where he left off-with a few upgrades.

time-read
6 mins  |
March - April 2024
The end of olitter?
VOGUE India

The end of olitter?

Or are we just at the beginning—of a new era of microplastic-free, perfectly-healthy-to-eat sparkle. TAMAR ADLER reports on glitz to feel good about

time-read
5 mins  |
March - April 2024
Smooth operator
VOGUE India

Smooth operator

Can retinol pack the wrinkle-reducing power without the irritation? Chloe Malle test-drives a new generation of kinder formulas rebooting the superstar skincare ingredient

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024
The great gamble
VOGUE India

The great gamble

At the Gucci Ancora showcase in Singapore, Vogue India got within a hair’s breadth of Sabato De Sarno’s debut collection. ROCHELLE PINTO reports on the new direction

time-read
2 mins  |
March - April 2024
Blue jean baby
VOGUE India

Blue jean baby

LEE X Suneet Varma's collaboration featuring Sara Ali Khan merges classic denim with Indian couture.

time-read
2 mins  |
March - April 2024