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This A-List Favourite Bag Brand Is Back In Action
From Hailey Bieber to Beyoncé, half of Hollywood was carrying one of these viral bags: then, the brand disappeared. Now it's finally back, and with big plans...
BY ROBERTA SCHROEDER
UPDATED: 20 NOVEMBER 2024
The affordable designer bag market might be booming, but it’s not often a mid-range hero makes it into the arms of the A-list: never mind, half of Hollywood. But last year, that's exactly what the then-unknown name Aupen managed to do, propelling its neat shoulder bags and squishy braided handles into the wardrobes of everyone from Selena Gomez to Hailey Bieber, seemingly overnight (and without a single starry ad campaign or high-profile founder fuelling the hype).
By the time Taylor Swift made a series of much-papped appearances with hers in her grasp, demand was sky-high, with shoppers furiously checking the brand's own website (the only place you can order one) for fleeting restocks.
But it was Kylie Jenner who sealed the deal on Aupen's sell-out status. Once she was seen out with the brand's angular, dramatic Fearless shoulder bag, the hype had reached feverish heights, and the brand was seemingly unable to meet the demand it had conjured. Everything vanished from the site, before the site itself shut down.
COURTESY OF AUPEN
COURTESY OF AUPEN
This was back in May of this year, and since then, we've heard little from the ephemeral accessory player. But now, as swiftly as it disappeared, Aupen has returned, bringing with it a redesign and hefty restock of its standout bag: the Nirvana.
Already being carried by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Charli XCX, the Nirvana is a shoulder bag with obvious appeal. It's a slouchy, soft sidekick, with a chunky braided handle and detachable gold metal 'seed' tag swinging from the side. The interior is perfectly sized to store your essentials, without being frustratingly compact or shoulder-achingly large. It makes a great companion for off-duty days, but the just-right size makes it suited to evening occasions too.
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The original black leather Nirvana is now joined by a series of chic sisters, from a supple suede iteration in chocolate-brown to ash and olive shades, and a bold postbox-red. The design comes with even heftier craftsmanship credentials now, too. As part of an ongoing plan to shift production entirely to France, with a Paris design studio also in the works, the brand has begun a coveted partnership with LVMH Métiers d’Art, providing it with access to some of the world's best tanneries and hardware artisans.
A shift in materials is in-hand, too: whereas the original Aupen bags were made from vegan leather, they are now all crafted from genuine leather, certified by the Leather Working Group. Indeed, the attention to detail really is impressive (no wonky stitching in store here) and the fine-grain leather is beautifully soft.
The Aupen appeal does make sense: the brand creates contemporary yet versatile pieces from traceable leather, designed to outlast the shifting tides of the trend cycle. Speaking to the modern minimalist dresser, there are no in-your-face logos or flash-in-the-pan gimmicks, and the prices are surprisingly affordable (at-least for now: an association with Métiers d’Art, plus a relocation to France, will surely impact costs).
So, if you missed your chance to bag one of these phenomenally in-demand designs the first time around, you don't need us to tell you what to do right now. At the time of writing, all six new iterations of the Nirvana bag are in stock, ready and waiting for you, with more (including sparkling tweed and soft shearling) reportedly en-route. What's more, we've been told to expect the return of its sharper, structured sister, the Fearless, before the end of the year. Although, you may have to get behind the Jenners in line for that one.
This article was sincerely referred from Elle.
You can read the original article here.
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Read also:
LVMH Métiers d’Art Partners With Celebrity-favorite Accessories Brand Aupen
HERE'S WHY AUPEN BAGS ARE WORTH THE HYPE
THE AUPEN EFFECT: HANDBAGS LOVED BY TAYLOR SWIFT, HAILEY BIEBER AND MORE
An Honest Review Of AUPEN Bags, Worn By Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez And Other Major Celebrities
HERE’S TAYLOR SWIFT’S LATEST BAG ADDICTION
Celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Olivia Rodrigo love this under-$200 ‘It’ bag
