Oh yes I know I am really late to finish my fall trend coverage. Some department stores already offer mid-season sale and the cruise collections are about to arrive in store within the next week. So its high time to hurry and finish my fall trend report. After reflecting on headgear, scarfs, coats, sweaters, lots of denim, dresses and skirts its finally time to come to one of the most important wardrobe departments – HANDBAGS … In contrast to the aforementioned wardrobe departments, where everything seems to be about general trends and tendencies, I feel that in the field of bags its more about brand specific timeless or seasonal “It Bags”.

So let’s start with Chanel. Sure the brand has its classic flap bag, reissue 2.55 and the boy bag. But besides that the Chanel shows are as much about what models wear as they are about what models carry! So which bags are the bags of the fall winter 2014 season? I feel its the bandana bag from Métiers d’Art Paris Dallas. Somehow a descrete bag as it was neither featured in the Kristen Stewart campaign nor is it presented on the brands web page for everyone to see.

The Chanel bandana bag had a loyal group of followers during fashion month, pics vogue.fr, style.com, harpers bazaar.com

Another bag of the seasons seams to be the shearling bag with the pop art number 5 billboard print. Frequently spotted among showgoers its as much a statement bag as it is an advert for the brands best selling number 5 scent and works in this way incredibly well with the new number 5 commercial as well as the new shop windows.

Chanel shearling number 5 bag was a big hit among showgoers, pics style.com wwd.com

• Chanel shearling number 5 bag, EUR 4000.00, chanel.com

Similar to Chanel Vuitton has plenty of timeless classic shapes like Alma, the bowler bag, Speedy, the doctors bag and Neverfull, the tote, which come in several textures and colors. But besides classics each Vuitton fashion show is very much about new bag styles every season. This season’s stand out surely is la petite malle, the little trunk. Harrods journal already said that fall 2014 will be remeberd as the season where Nicolas Ghesquière shrunk the trunk. Sadly the trunk style with side closure, the real trunk presented on the runway in the Juergen Teller campaign and worn by several celebs, was only a protottype and the real piece arrived with a top opening and a strap. But let’s see La Petite Malle will return for cruise and in plenty more styles for summer 2015!!!

Natalia Vodianova in March 2014 attending the LV presentation wearing the side closure strap-free petite malle bag (pic style.com). After the brand changed the style and equipped it with a top opening and a heavy strap Natalia had to carry the new version for the opening of Fondation LV in Paris last week (pic telegraph.co.uk and louisvuitton.com)

• Louis Vuitton La Petite Malle, EUR 3,500.00, louisvuitton.com

In contrast to the aforementioned brands at Hermes its not about seasonal bags. Its all about their timelessly classic Kelly and Birkin.

Miroslava Duma and her cute mini Kelly bags during fashion month, pics harpers bazaar.com

Another major player in the handbag business Gucci doesn’t make as many street style points as the aforementioned brands. Although they presented a number of really pretty, simple shoulder bags inspired by the brands iconic Jackie line for fall 2014 they weren’t too popular among showgoers during the most recent fashion month. Instead of opting for a bag from the new collection several chose the Soho Disco bag with the embossed double G logo and the tassle.

The Gucci Soho Disco bag was quite popular among showgoers during fashion month, pics harpers bazaar.com

• Gucci Soho disco bag, EUR 730.00, gucci.com

What about Prada? Well the fall runway wasn’t that much about bags. Just one basic shape came in several sizes and colors. Absolutely nothing identified the bag as being Prada. As a matter of fact I haven’t seen this bag anywhere until now. Neither on pics nor with my own eyes in the streets! The Prada bag of the moment still seems to be the mini Saffiano Promenade bag, which was launched in 2013.

The Prada Mini Saffiano Promenade bag was very popular among showgoers during the most recent fashion month in September. Chiara Ferragni wearing a black version front row at Moschino (pic purseblog.com), Hanneli Mustaparta wearing her cream white alteration (pic harpers bazaar.com) and another showgoer with a light blue style (pic harpers bazaar.com)

• Prada Mini Saffiano Promenade bag, EURO 710.00, prada.com

What are you favorite bag trends at the moment? Mini bag, bucket shape, exotic top handle …? Which one is your bag of the season?