Opinion / Are small handbags another victim of Covid-19? Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton offer larger more practical bags – while Gucci opts for the absurd inspired by a cookie tin

This is part of STYLE’s Inside Luxury column.

The year 2020 has been, to say it casually, an unusual one. When social gatherings are reduced to a minimum, when shopping happens mainly online, when restaurants and bars are closed in many places, and when many of us stay indoors to avoid exposure to the coronavirus – who needs designer handbags that can cost a five or even six-figure amount in US dollars?

After months in lockdown, Lou Stoppard wrote in The New York Times about “The Phantom Handbag”, suggesting that the previously ubiquitous and unpractical small handbag may be a thing from the past. The replacement: larger, more practical tote bags, cross-body bags and other more practical accessories.

In particular, as those who live in large cities like New York, London or Tokyo increasingly rely on walking or cycling for their commute to avoid packed and potentially virus-laden public transport, a bag seemingly needs to perform rather than look good.

Almost all previously handbag-focused luxury brands have reacted and launched bags that combine practical and stylish elements. Bottega Veneta stirred up the market with the launch of the Squash Tote, priced at US$5,090. Louis Vuitton launched the Crafty Onthego GM, priced at US$2,860, as part of its capsule collection for autumn 2020.

The website highlights the everyday aspects of the bag: “As useful on workdays as weekends, this stylish tote’s boxy shape means lots of room inside for office files and a laptop”. The focus is clearly on the practical aspect, allowing us to combine work and play.

So, is the more impractical but fancy “It bag” category dead?