Loewe’s new Balloon bag has arrived

As well as establishing Loewe as one of the hottest tickets on the Paris Fashion Week schedule, the Spanish maison’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, has become one of the industry’s chief purveyors of modern ‘It’ bags. In recent years, key silhouettes such as the rectangular Puzzle shoulder bag and neat crossbody Barcelona have become key signifiers of style. For spring/summer 2020, the label has added an exciting newcomer to its handbag repertoire – the Balloon. So called for its softly structured curvilinear silhouette, it has been left unlined for lightness.

Crafted from supple leather, it is capacious enough for all your everyday essentials, stowing them away with a chic drawstring closure that lends a laid-back feel. Why not add a personal touch to the strings with some Loewe charms, which come in a broad range of colors, sizes and designs? Available in small, medium and large, and in myriad colorways – from crisp white with a brown leather trim to sophisticated tan, classic black and an elegant ecru cotton-canvas with a tan leather base – the Balloon makes the perfect everyday bag; the most difficult part will be choosing just one.

As for how to style it, naturally it is the ideal finishing touch to offset Loewe’s divine SS20 ready-to-wear silhouettes. This season, Anderson was captivated by a “patrician elegance”, which played out in precision-cut pannier shapes, poetic blouson-sleeved shirting and delicate lace dresses, which he described as “deconstructing elements of boudoir vocabulary”.

Pair the small canvas style with the refined pleated trench coat by day, then, for a coolly minimalist day-to-evening look, wear the large tan style with the luxe leather maxi dress.

All sizes come with a longer adjustable strap so they can be worn long and draped casually over the shoulder, or across the body for hands-free ease. The medium and large styles also feature a shorter handle, perfect to wear high on the shoulder or clutched purposefully in the hand.

The brand has also given its beloved Gate bag a bohemian update with wispy silk fringing that sashays with every step. Embodying the SS20 collection’s whimsical mood, it will complement the romantic overtones of the summer collection’s exquisite white gauzy lace gown. Slip your hand through the leather-knotted front to carry it like an extravagant evening clutch.

The Flamenco style, with its distinctly knotted drawstrings, comes in a slouchy clutch-bag silhouette this summer. Its relaxed shape and optional shoulder strap make it the perfect off-duty day bag, while its luxurious finish means it works just as well for evening events, too. Made in the brand’s historic Madrid workshop, it features a plush suede lining and is discreetly embossed with the house logo. Wear it with similarly understated linen day dresses for a laid-back but elevated look, wherever the day or night takes you.