The affordable designer bag market has boomed in recent years, with the demand for accessible luxury continuing to rise. Racing to fill the gap between the prestigious houses and the high street, names such as Charles & Keith, Coperni and Staud are developing firm fanbases for their mid-range pieces that combine strong style DNA with contemporary touches.
And, there’s another name you ought to know – Aupen, and the A-list are already all over it. The Singaporean label – which briefly went quiet this summer – has just re-emerged bigger and better than ever, establishing a design studio in Paris and working with world-class ateliers owned by LVMH Métiers d’Art.
Hailey Bieber carrying her Aupen bag
As part of this new partnership, Aupen is returning with a redesign of the Nirvana, one of its most popular styles, in a number of exciting new fabrics and colourways including chocolate suede, teddy and metallic, as well as the Nirvana Ice, which is covered in crystals and perfect for Christmas party dressing. These have been released today (22 November) in limited qualities, so if you want to get your hands on one, we suggest you move fast.
Nirvana Ice
Nirvana Suede Chocolate
Nirvana Teddy Earth
Next up, on 30 November, the brand will release the new Fearless 22, which was first launched in 2022 and in a smaller size in June 2023 – the design is known for its sculptural silhouette and minimalist branding, and for catching the eye of Jennifer Lawrence and Kylie Jenner.
Of course, the label had already generated a starry fanbase for a number of its other minimalist-with-a-twist bags and contemporary jewellery. Fans include; Sofia Richie-Grainge, Karlie Kloss, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber and Sydney Sweeney, as well as Emily Blunt, Emma Stone and Dakota Johnson. See, we told you the A-list were on board.
So what’s fuelling the hype? Really, the appeal here is simple: refreshingly free from outré logos or loud-luxury ostentation, these bags are created for reality, not the social-media lens. The sculptural silhouettes are striking enough to enhance a modern wardrobe, yet unobtrusive enough to be worn on any occasion, be it a busy Monday in the office or drinks at the weekend. And of course, there’s the practicality of the proportions: in a world of capacious XXL totes and irritatingly small evening bags (if you can’t fit your phone inside, it’s probably not a wise purchase), these sensible shoulder styles feel just right.
It’s notable that the design team behind Aupen are consciously elusive with the four members of the design ‘collective’ are based all around the world. It’s this anonymity that makes the remarkable celebrity fan-base even more of an impressive feat: for many new-to-market brands, an influencer-come-designer or famous founder is the key to quick success. Perhaps there’s power in simple practicality after all.
