During an episode of Friends titled, “The One with Joey’s Bag”, Joey buys a leather tote and becomes the butt of all jokes. However, over the years, the attitude towards men carrying bags has evolved, and now it’s not uncommon to see guys on the street sporting some sort of holdall or other. Designer Gaurav Khanijo attributes it to the gender bender movement. “Today there’s a strong gender-fluid wave in fashion and the man purse is one of the off-shoots. Besides, it’s a small pouch in which you could dump all your essentials. Also, it signals a revival of the ’90s, which saw some very cool pouches,” says Gaurav.
A VERSATILE PIECE
Besides the popularity of the gender-neutral clothing, the demarcation between formal and casual dressing is blurring and the man purse fits aptly into this scenario. Designer Karrtik D says, “The male clutch or m’utch’ is a versatile piece of accessory and complements both formal and casual looks. While buying a male case keep in mind that you select the stuff in fine leather.”
STYLE MEETS COMFORT
Kim Jones’ debut show at Dior Men saw leather clutches and Dolce & Gabbana showcsed a croc clutch accented with a metallic buckle. Designer Sayantan Sarkar opines that it combines utility and comfort. “It’s like an organiser with all the essentials — cell phones, note pads, tabs and credit cards well distributed in it.”
