If you were stationed at 180 The Strand during London Fashion Week, or have simply been keeping a watchful eye on social media, then you’ll have seen the influx of bag charms hit the streets of London.
From befurred pom poms to petite Jellycats, global souvenirs and trinkets of all shapes and sizes, bag charms have infiltrated the accessories archives of influencers and editors across the board.
The trend has been around since spring of this year. Fashion journalists first pipped the fad as one of 2024’s hottest back in March, noting that the TikTok girlies had started to ‘Jane Birkinify’ their arm candy.
Inspired by the famed British actress, singer and Hermès muse, Jane Birkin, the act of adding charms to one’s handbag has captivated the high street and high fashion scene alike.
The trend dominated the autumn/winter 2024 runways. Miu Miu championed boxy totes adorned with luggage tags - inspiring model Gigi Hadid to bling up her ‘Arcadie’ purse with thematic Deadpool charms for the Marvel film premiere in New York. Balenciaga’s ‘Rodeo’ bags came complete with XL keys and locks chained to the handles. Coach’s Y2K collection boasted New York trinkets, which I have to admit, inspired my own London Fashion Week look.
For day two of the British fashion bonanza, I adorned my beloved snake print KNWLS ‘Razr Bag’ with an ‘I Love New York’ keyring, a clip-on vintage monogrammed DKNY card holder, a sky blue Aspinal of London heart keyring given to me by my grandmother and my housemate’s plushie charm which she bought in Japan. All held together by a hiking-chic carabiner - which was also borrowed.
As silly as I felt getting on the bus to Aldwych, I loved both the visual and auditory clash of the look. I jangled my way to Soho House, revelling in the ironic appeal of my accessories concoction.
Fellow industry insiders had self-frosted with kitsch charms of all shapes, colours and sizes. Delightfully tacky £2 keyrings graced polished Mulberry sacks, vintage Fendi hobos and Karl Lagerfeld totes - proving to passersby that fashion doesn’t have to take itself too seriously. A notion London’s creatives swears by.
Bag charms provided London with an antidote to flawless, influencer-approved perfection. The kind of perfection that the city’s European sisters Paris and Milan are celebrated for.
Yet, even these two fashion capitals fell prey to the charm. While browsing street style images from Paris, I spotted an £18,000 Hermes Birkin ‘30 Cactus Emerald Green Epsom Gold Bag’ peppered with leather charms spanning bug-eyed dachshunds to citrus fruits and pom poms. During Milan, Prada’s ‘Darling Leather Handbag,’ which retails at £2,200, was papped with a £500 Prada ‘Re-Edition 1978 Re-Nylon Mini-Pouch,’ and the brand’s £390 heart keychain in nappa leather attached to the handle. So silly, but so good.
The point is, sometimes we can get caught up in the pretentiousness of fashion. Skill, craft and beauty form the foundation of the practice, but so does fun.
In an industry helmed by powerhouse brands that champion invite-only exclusivity, we often forget to flirt with our clothes. The magic of play - that’s what bag charms bring to the table for everyone.
How to wear bag charms:
How I would style bag charms:
- BAG: Miu MIU Arcadie Small Matelassé Leather Tote Bag, £2100, MYTHERESA
- CHARMS: (Top left) Heart Key Ring, £50, ASPINAL OF LONDON (Top right) Anya Brands Polo Charm, £175, ANYA HINDMARCH (Bottom left) Pink Ballet Shoe Keyring, £8, ROYAL BALLET AND OPERA (Bottom right) Miffy Boucle Key Chain, £10, URBAN OUTFITTERS
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