Handle it: why the bag is no longer the thing - it's the strap that really counts

Emma McCarthy grasps hold of a new season 
Cloud link shoulder strap, £495, Anya Hindmarch
Emma McCarthy21 March 2017

In every Tube carriage, in every pub and on every street in London, fashion credibility used to be determined by the calibre of the arm candy dangling from the crook of your arm.

Several seasons and countless trends later, the status has shifted. The death knell for the age of the It-bag has sounded. But the focus hasn’t shifted far. Instead, those wishing to get a handle on spring need look to no further than…their handles.

Increasingly, statement straps are the fast-track way to update your look without having to invest in a new bag. Take that Topshop clutch you’ve had lying around for two years. Why chuck it out when you can throw on an It-strap and give it a new lease of life?

This isn’t upcycling for frugal fashion types - the new breed of accessorising doesn’t come cheap. Fendi - a brand which has owned this trend from the off - first introduced its luxury detachable strap range a few seasons ago and has been adding to it ever since, most recently with the launch of its mini strap line for micro-bag lovers.

Fendi’s statement straps start from £325

The label currently has 67 styles on offer, including scalloped shoulder straps decorated with 3D leather buds, appliquéd hearts and plaited silk, which range from a miserly £325 to an eye-watering, remortgage-your-house £2,560.

Floral strap, £545, Prada

Prada also has a bundle of statement straps to help you upgrade your software, from styles sprinkled with plexiglass flowers to options printed with watermelons, catci and sombreros, while Anya Hindmarch - the capital’s queen of customisation - now considers her detachable straps selection to be as integral to her brand as its personalisation service.

Smiley pom-pom strap, £895, Anya Hindmarch

Her current offering includes straps adorned with rainbow pom-poms, furry smiley faces and leather fried eggs - some of which won’t give you much change from a grand.

While some might balk at the idea of splashing so much cash on something which usually comes as standard, you could argue that it’s money well spent. After all, when chosen well a statement strap could help turn even the most mundane sack into an outfit-maker.

Glitter strap, £485, Dolce & Gabbana

Some of the more affordable styles also serve as a good entry-level purchase for those without the means to blow a few grand on a new handbag.

Star strap, £165, Les Petits Joueurs

French accessories label Les Petits Joueurs - a favourite among Instagram’s hottest It-girls - has just landed at Harrods, bringing with it a breadth of eyecatching bag straps, from geometric stripes to star prints, which start at a non-heart-attack-inducing £165.

Detachable floral strap cross-body, £29.99, Zara

While the high street is yet to latch on to this idea, if it’s just a jolly strap you’re after make a beeline for Zara, where you can snap up a mini crossbody for just 30 quid which comes complete with two detachable shoulder straps - one plain skinny style, one wide and punctuated with Aztec embroidery or floral beads.

Spring is in the bag. Actually, its strapped on the side.

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