New York Fashion Week street style handbags from the spring 2018 shows held in September 2017

photo: a fashion week guest sits front row with her Cult Gaia Ark bag at the spring 2018 NYFW shows

While spring 2018 was being sent down the runways at New York Fashion Week in September 2017, guests attending the shows carried the hottest handbags for the fall 2017 season. While I wasn’t able to capture an extensive gallery of photos showing the handbags being carried at fashion week, I did observe which bags made it onto the arms of the fashionable set, and which ones were glaring absent.

There were many types of IT bags carried by guests of New York Fashion Week. Some of the bags were classic IT bags such as the Chanel Boy bag, and the Givenchy Antigona (new to the classic category), while others were up and comers such as the Cult Gaia Ark bag, and the Mark Cross Benchley bag.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags are what dictate the IT bags of the new season.

Gucci had a huge moment last year, and it seems that moment is starting to fade. While the Gucci Marmont was the IT bag for last spring and summer, it was no-where to be found this season at fashion week. The Gucci bag showing staying power in the IT bag arena is the Gucci Dionysus.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop Gucci Dionysus bags:

JW Anderson has found IT bag status with his Pierce bag. The Pierce bag emerged last season on the streets of New York Fashion Week, and it showed up again this season. For fall 2017, the fashion week set preferred the JW Anderson Pierce bag in neutrals hues and red. It seems Pierce bag fans want their investment to have staying power; proving the bag will be around for several seasons to come.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop JW Anderson Pierce bags:

Mark Cross is having a moment! The Mark Cross Grace bag has been around for eons; but this is the first time it was so dominant on the streets of fashion week. The Grace bag was spotted in several colors; both seasonal and neutral. In addition to Mark Cross’s iconic Grace bag, his up-and-coming Benchley bag was also splashed all over the fashion week streets. The Benchley was also spotted in both seasonal, and neural hues. Mark Cross is the handbag designer to watch for fall. He just rocketed from classic luxury to the world of IT bags.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop Mark Cross bags:

Chanel is always a mainstay at fashion week, but the resurgence of the Boy bag took me by surprise. While the classic flap and 2.55 are always spotted at fashion week, season after season, the Boy bag went from IT bag status a few years ago, to “just another designer bag” status. This season, it seems to be making a comeback. Instead of the fashion set carrying it in bright colors, patent, patterns, and the like; the Chanel Boy bag was carried mostly in classic black, with a few neutral hues thrown in around town. This proves the staying power of the Boy bag.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop pre-loved Chanel Boy bags:

Isn’t summer over? Of course it is in the fashion world. But, that didn’t stop guests of New York Fashion Week from carrying circle bags, and straw circle bags in general. Circle bags were a hot summer trend, and it appears the non-traditional handbag silhouette is staying hot for the fall season. There wasn’t one circle bag in general which stood from the crowd, but circle bags were spotted throughout fashion week paired with fall trends.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop straw circle bags:

Playing off the straw bag phenomena, the Cult Gaia Ark bag, which was the IT bag of summer 2017, was also seen all over the streets of New York Fashion Week. This is a handbag trend which seems to be jumping seasons. If straw can be worn after labor day, why not bamboo?

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop the Cult Gaia Ark bag:

The Givenchy Antigona was a popular, classic IT bag this season at fashion week. When I was in line for the shows, there always seemed to be someone next to me carrying one. I pointed out being “twins” to a couple of ladies, but they didn’t seem to think it was as cute as I thought it was that we were standing next to each other with the same bag. Oh well, not everyone thinks matching is fun. haha

I could go on for days about my love of the Givechy Antigona bag, but I don’t want to bore you.  Just know this, if you need a workhorse bag which is extremely durable, and comfortable, and which also has IT bag status; the Givenchy Antigona is what you need to invest in.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop Givechy Antigona bags:

Can all the #ChloeGirls have a moment? Both the Chloe Faye, and the Chloe Nile, were present at New York Fashion Week. While a few Drew’s were sprinkled around, the Faye, medium size to be exact, and the Nile, in all sizes, were the Chloe bags of the moment.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags: shop Chloe Faye, and Chloe Nile bags:

There you have it! My apologies for not having a more visual post, but you can see what some of these IT bags look like from the shopping widgets below each description. Next season I will be at fashion week longer and will have some spare time to stand outside the shows and get photos for you. These are my observations from inside the shows, and standing in line for the shows, waiting for doors to open.

New York Fashion Week street style handbags are what launch bags into the IT bag arena. These are the bags to covet, and own, for the fall 2017 season and beyond. Which current IT bag is your favorite?