MATRIX:MIDLAND Gives History of the Handbag Presentation
All clothes have some sort of history, whether it’s a personal history involving how long you’ve had that handbag, memories involving that piece of clothing, or the evolutionary history of a piece of clothing like, for example, different skirt lengths and styles over the centuries. A handbag is an essential item for many women – dare you leave home without it! – and, similar to many other pieces of women’s clothing, has gone through numerous style changes over the years, from being hidden inside skirts up through the 18th Century to being seen as a sign of independence to wealth, assuming you can afford a designer handbag and don’t carry a knock-off in the present day.
MATRIX:MIDLAND, an arts festival of sorts in Michigan, bought Purse Universe, a discussion and presentation about the history of handbags held on June 10. This isn’t a fashion show, however, with models displaying handbag styles worn over the past four centuries and, instead, is a discussion about how handbags – and their purpose – have changed over the years.
Fashion discussions and exhibits aren’t anything new. In fact, your local art college probably has a few fashion discussions, with experts coming a few times per year to talk about new and innovative designs. Although these probably include handbags, handbags deserve their own discussion panel. If you live in Michigan and think of fashion as more than the latest trends that’ll be gone in a few months, were you able to catch this event? Did it offer any new perspectives on handbags?
