Aspinal Of London Introduces A Micro Version Of The Duchess Of Cambridge’s Favourite Bag For SS20
September 15, 2019 BRITISH VOGUE
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Rupert Hartley/Shutterstock (9919413c)Catherine Duchess of Cambridge Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit, County Hall, London, UK – 09 Oct 2018Rupert Hartley/Shutterstock
Creative director Mariya Dykalo and design director Giles Deacon talk British Vogue through the spring/summer 2020 collection
It’s easy to imagine the Mini Croc Pandora from Aspinal of London’s spring/summer 2020 collection appealing to a young Jean Shrimpton. Particularly if she’d had an iPhone X at the time. The Pandora, like all of the new styles the accessories brand is introducing this season, has been inspired by the energy of iconic fashion photography of the 1960s – Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson and David Bailey – while factoring in the needs of the 2019 customer – smartphone, portable charger, AirPods and the rest.
“We’re slaves to it, aren’t we?” Aspinal’s design director Giles Deacon says of our collective tech obsession with a smile. “But we love it. And Mariya [Dykalo, creative director at Aspinal] is really good at knowing what women want and need in a handbag when they’re on the move and travelling a lot.” So while a lot of thought has gone into fresh colourways and finishes (the punchy Penelope Pink and Bright Mustard versions of the dainty new Micro Mayfair are finished with a velvet flap that contrasts with the silk lizard printed leather), just as much has gone into how each handbag functions for the owner.
Aspinal Micro Mayfair in Bright Mustard
“Often the first thing customers do in store is check if their phone will fit in a bag they’re looking at… if it doesn’t, it’s a no-go,” Dykalo tells British Vogue at an exclusive preview of the spring/summer 2020 collection. As well as being roomy enough to cope with those everyday essentials, many of the designs – the new, vanity case-inspired Pandora included – have the option of a cross-body chain strap in addition to the more business-like top handles, meaning they pass the hackneyed but nonetheless important “office to bar” test with flying colours.
With all of that being said, the new arrival Deacon and Dykalo are most excited about definitely isn’t going to accommodate your iPad. With the Micro Mayfair, we’re talking Monzo and a lipstick at a push. A diminutive version of Aspinal’s biggest seller, it’s a little sister to the Midi Mayfair, which exploded in popularity when HRH the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted carrying two versions of the structured croc print bag (one lilac, one black) in quick succession at the end of last year.
Aspinal Mini Hat Box in Penelope Pink
Kate’s endorsement “definitely helps”, Deacon laughs, “but generally it’s always amazing to see how customers will respond to one bag in particular.” The micro version, he and Dykalo explain, has been introduced with one eye on the demands of emerging markets, with Aspinal on the cusp of opening a store in Shanghai – its first in Asia – in November.
The least playful, but perhaps most practical new addition to the Aspinal family is the all-black croc printed leather (no exotic skins here) London Travel Collection, a timeless trio made up of the Business Bag, the Business Case, and the perfect-for-a-weekend-away Travel Bag, which just so happens to be a favourite of Deacon’s. “I love this,” says the designer, as he feigns sneaking away from the display cabinet with the luxe and surprisingly lightweight holdall. “I’m going to LA for the Emmys, and I’m desperate to take this one with me.”
