How fashion accessories are finding a new role in the age of social media.

Louis Vuitton Dollhouse Handbags for the Spring-Summer 2023 season. Photo by Julien de Rosa / AFP

SCan your handbag be functional or Instagrammable? Social media users seem to have made up their minds, so brands are increasingly promoting unusual, eccentric and completely off-the-wall accessories. From dove bags to pink flamingo stilettos and toy-style bags, fashion accessories are revolutionizing social media stars with amazing looks.

How Instagram-friendly is your handbag? The age of social media has subtly changed our relationship with fashion, giving pride of place to creations that were once unusual, strange or just plain out there. And these are more suitable for social media than a trip to the supermarket or a day at the office. This obviously hasn’t escaped the attention of brands scrambling to find cool, Instagram-worthy items that will help their customers score more views and likes.

In an age where fashion trends—and micro-trends—come at lightning speed on social media, accessories are on a mission to stand out from the crowd with a unique aesthetic. And it’s a win-win concept for brands and consumers, the former betting on virality to spark interest, and the latter reaping the views and likes generated by said object of their own interest. While fashion seems more comfortable and practical than ever, accessories stand as a way to meet the more unconventional needs of younger generations. Shoes, jewelry, headwear and handbags have never been so strongly in the limelight as they were earlier this year.

All about the buzz

Less ephemeral than trendy clothes, fashion accessories are now seen as a safer investment for consumers. The success of sports shoes is a testament to this, as these shoes have become collector’s items within a few years. Likewise, it’s common to see outfits on social media featuring fast-fashion outfits topped off with luxury bags, shoes or jewelry, items that have the power to transform a look.

The success of fashion accessories in the third quarter of 2022, among the 10 most popular categories on the global fashion search platform, eight were shoes, bags, belts, eyewear and the like. Faced with this craze, brands are stepping up their creativity to offer pieces that are each more unusual than the next. Of course, no matter how beautiful, unless you’re the only person in the world, a handbag that’s famous on social media won’t get you noticed… But we can’t all be Kim Kardashian, so to stand out, you have to go all out. In the year An observation that elevated the ugly, cheesy and gross to the top of fashion trends in 2022.

Also Read: From Suits to Jeans to Glitter: 10 Upcoming Fashion Trends for 2023

As seen in recent months, handbags are the first victims of this trend. There was a dove bag from JW Anderson, adopted by none other than Sarah Jessica Parker herself, a dog-shaped bag from Thom Browne, not to mention bags from the next Balenciaga fashion house. All about social media. The Demna Gvasalia-fronted brand has been busy introducing a whole series of eccentric bags, from speakers to trash bags, arm bags and chips bags. They all come with exorbitant price tags, it goes without saying, and are systematically praised by fashion enthusiasts.

The age of freedom

Now, designers seem to be following extremes, making accessories even crazier than before. Handbags and shoes remain favorite pieces for unusual creations, such as Louis Vuitton’s dollhouse-like handbag, Moschino’s inflatable foam bag and flamingo stilettos, Acne Studio bags covered in spikes, oversized platforms on Vivienne Westwood, or padded shoes that are completely embellished. Along with Rick Owens’ feathers, all featured in the Spring-Summer 2023 shows. But now the scene is turning to headwear and jewelry, with over-the-top, flashy, sometimes flashy creations that are always Instagrammable.

All these designs do not take long to go viral on social networks, but, let’s be honest, they are not practical, convenient or particularly useful in everyday life. Riding a train in rush hour with a portable dollhouse or wearing XXL platforms is not the best way to start the day… which is why in recent months there is an unprecedented phenomenon: the emergence of micro-trends that go viral. Online, but no one wears it in real life. These unusual accessories populate the internet but seem to have no use or use in the real world. It’s kind of like the metaverse before the metaverse, finally showing the true potential of these parallel worlds… for the fashion industry, anyway.