Life&Style editor Julia Lee reviewed V&A’s exhibition Bags: Inside Out and marveled at bags of various shapes, sizes, practicalities and price points: from Lemière’s complex opera house wallets to Prada bags containing plexiglass to preserve insects

In the rotunda where the V&A permanent fashion exhibition is located, until January 16, Bags: Inside Out. The shiny golden label, spelling "BAGS", invites visitors into this seemingly small exhibition space, which promises to display bags "both as private property and as a public statement." I was immediately fascinated-the fashion that pays attention to social history is something I am very interested in.

As soon as we entered the door, we saw two dresses, showing how the most elusive "bag" in women's clothing, the pocket, was shown off and hidden. Chatelaine, a decorative and practical ornament, hangs at the waist of the skirt, as well as lace pockets above the underwear and below the hoop. One side of this dress opened to reveal a fairly large pocket, which must be larger than most dress pockets today. These dresses are a well-fitting opening line and perfectly represent the three parts of the exhibition. 

The first is the "Functions and Utilities" section of the blue theme, which includes military bags known for their many pockets and shoulder straps to distribute heavy objects, coin purses made of gold and ivory, and representations over time Certain occupations. Bags were originally used as practical tools. Although they may come in many shapes, colors and sizes, their purpose is very simple, that is, to "hold". Today's most coveted brands-Hermès, Gucci, Louis Vuitton-all started with luggage manufacturers; their traditions come from practical traditions. Certain exhibits caught my attention. A large rectangular box from the golden age of transatlantic sea travel, with the iconic LV pattern printed on it, a Lemière opera bag, a small compartment containing opera glasses, stationery and silk fans, and a train with a separately lockable bottom The travel package includes a box with basic toiletries. We also found the predecessor of the handbag here, the mesh thread, which is usually embroidered by its owner and made of high-quality fabrics.

"Status and Identity" is the most well-known place we find in today's handbags. The suitcases are more compact, more fashionable and more feminine. The design of luxury handbags is desirable, a symbol of status, and a sign of your success. Especially for bags that are more similar to jewelry, their design should be beautiful rather than practical. The exhibition also asserted that bags are the easiest luxury items to obtain. If it were not for their practicality, they could elevate a person to the exclusive "club" of the brand, no matter how simple they are. Recognizability plays an important role, and the unique Dior Saddle handbag makes it popular again. Celebrities have also played an important role in the popularity of such bags, the most famous of which is Hermes'Kelly' named after actress Grace Kelly. An unconventional "It" bag on display is the upper and lower Liu Yue bag, which is made of leather and bamboo, and is lined with a map printed on silk. A bag from the Slow and Steady Wins the Race series commented on "unchanging good design." Despite the use of pure cotton material, this rectangular handbag is still easy to identify as a specific designer bag.

Because of its ubiquity, bags are also capable of carrying and disseminating clear statements and subtle

Because of its ubiquity, bags are also capable of carrying and disseminating clear statements and subtle

This part also displays bags with cultural significance. For example, the beaded gift bags of the Nan Nguni people and the embossed saddle bags of the Hausa people, because of their complex design and high-quality materials, symbolize the class and status of the wearer. Because of its ubiquity, bags are also capable of carrying and disseminating clear statements and subtle statements. Shopping bags, souvenir handbags, embroidered letter boxes-but perhaps the most striking is the anti-slavery work bag of 1828, whose printed images and poems allowed those who carried it to speak out against it without saying too much. Slavery. 

Upstairs, we found a structure reminiscent of the Champs Elysées (or some other fashionable streets) with colored windows for the final "design and production" part of the exhibition. Handbags are portrayed as wearable art here, reminiscent of nature (I especially like Horse Chestnut bags and wallets by Emily Jo Gibbs), fairy tales and folklore, and even everyday items like lunch boxes. The bag to be noted here is Prada's "Entomology" bag by Damien Hirst, which contains real insects and embroidered insects in plexiglass. There is also a large manufacturer's desk with patterns and fabrics hanging on it, and beams on it. The tabletop outlines the entire process of bag production from concept to final product. Many of the elements involved are dizzying, and we can learn more about the process directly from the experts through the video. Elvis & Kresse described their process of making sustainable bags from retired fire hoses, thus "[respecting] the second life of this material".

The bag to be noted here is Prada's "Entomology" bag by Damien Hirst, which contains real insects and embroidered insects in plexiglass

The bag to be noted here is Prada's "Entomology" bag by Damien Hirst, which contains real insects and embroidered insects in plexiglass

Bags: Inside Out provides incredible insights, giving you an insight into one of the most useful accessories in life that you haven't thought of yet. The layered monochrome display cabinets are not at all intimidating-the graphical similarity of the bags will lead you to their matching descriptions. There are lacquered, beaded, embossed, forged, woven bags-you will look at the bags like never before. 

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