From Everything I've Studied in 2022, This Handbag Will Still Be It in 2023

2022 has been a year chock full to the brim with It bags. Balenciaga experienced more than a moment with their noughties-heavy Cagole shoulder bags, Chanel's little quilted hearts were all over my Instagram feed and Prada's crystal-embellished styles were toted by celebrities, editors and influencers alike. While all of the aforementioned items are valuable and worth the investment (in fact, I'm very certain all will become collectors' pieces one day), they do all share a lack of practicality. I know that doesn't sound sexy, but the fact is, if you are a shopper who likes to prioritise timelessness, usefulness and longevity, then you might find that a trending handbag style won't ever surface on your radar. But what if I told you you could find a bag that's still unique, still luxe and still going to look good a few years down the line? One word: Loewe.

Since Jonathan Anderson took the creative helm back in 2013, the brand's many coveted handbags have all stood the test of time. The Puzzle—first introduced in 2014—looks just as good today. Ditto the Flamenco, the Hammock, the Cubi, the Cushion, the Gate… I think you get the idea, and that's before we even begin to reference the influence Loewe's basket bags have had on the rest of the industry. So, I've seen the momentum building with Loewe's latest creation—the Puffer Goya—and I'm convinced the style will be just as, if not more, popular going into 2023. 

Loewe's Puffer Goya at the AW22 show

Debuted as part of the AW22's standout collection (one that has birthed multiple high profile pieces, including Kendall Jenner's tube dress, Hailey Bieber's cloud-like leather bomber jacket and a pair of silver sandals with an exaggerated bow that have taken over party season), when the Puffer Goyas finally hit stores they were nigh on impossible to get hold of—sold-out signs were ever-present online. And as the September fashion month circuit fired up, one could see where the stock had gone: the fashion editors had snapped the Goyas up first. It shouldn't have come as a surprise knowing the lineage of key handbags the Puffer Goya follows. Thanks to a palette of neutral, elevated leathers (think burgundy, camel, black), an essentially classic flap shape rendered in a not-so-classic pillowy finish and that divine circle-detail metal strap, it has all the hallmarks of a classic with a healthy side portion of cool. If you think it looks familiar, then you may recognise that it is a twist on the original Goya—a much more classic, structured cross-body bag.

Loewe's Puffer Goya on the streets of Paris Fashion Week

A few months following the initial fervour and I can safely say that this bag is just as tempting as it was upon launch. Only now it comes in different sizes and finishes—the teddybear shearling being a favourite of mine. Scroll to see the latest colourways.