Spring/summer 2024 marked a season of newness, especially in the bag department. In September last year, Givenchy’s creative director Matthew M Williams’s final show for the French luxury fashion house, hosted at L’École Militaire, was a sensual display of eveningwear that paid homage to its 72-year history. With a set designed by structural engineer and architect Gabriel Calatrava, the stage was prepped for a contrastingly classical collection. The line-up featured quintessential Givenchy cornerstones, notably referencing its most enduring muse: Audrey Hepburn. Amid the little black dresses, tailored coats and injections of satin were accessories that remained true to Williams’s origins. Beyond that, it painted a picture of some of the house’s most iconic bags, such as the Antigona and Pandora.
The star of the show, however? Givenchy’s new Voyou bag. Introduced on the spring/summer 2023 runways at Jardin des Plantes, the Voyou has effortlessly embodied the house’s crossover of contemporary cool. The name, which is French for ‘bad boy’, is a melding of French and American codes, infusing Hubert de Givenchy’s sensibilities with an edge that many have come to love Williams for. Created with an everyday-meets-biker sensibility in mind, the Voyou, which is in essence a hobo bag, has an eye-catching V shape that is constructed from a soft and malleable grained calfskin. Channelling what Givenchy dubs Left Bank sophistication, the bag boasts some key features: turned edges, a natural secure fold and a zippered compartment for smaller essentials. An etched buckle, sliders and a signature D-ring give it a finish that is equal parts nonchalant as it is dressy.
Though its hobo style is charming, the Voyou is adaptable depending on aesthetic and mood. For one, its adjustable and embossed strap allows it to be transformed into a hand-carry or crossbody bag. It doesn’t end there, however. For spring/summer 2024, the Voyou sees an update in the form of the Voyou Chain. Brought to life as an elevated everyday essential, the bag boasts a few differences. For one, its gradient-link chain strap, made from jewel-like metal links that go up in size, makes an elegant accent. Complete with a semi-structured and slightly slimmer make, the bag is easy to wear and fuss-free. It also has V-line corner straps that allow it to be adjusted while carried. Unlike its predecessor, the updated Voyou Chain only comes in a medium size, but is accented by an assortment of finishes, from tumble leather and soft suede to laminated leather and denim. If you’re in the market for a bag that is equal parts a conversation starter as it will be an enduring (yet playful) wardrobe classic, the Givenchy Voyou Chain might be one to consider.
Givenchy’s Voyou Chain bag is available to shop here.
The April ‘Pop’ issue of Vogue Singapore is available for sale online and in-store from April 2024.
