"You have to be careful of the bag, it is so familiar yet so badly understood," writes Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermes in the preface to this set of highlights from his family's collection of "bags": everything from purses to rucksacks from all eras and all corners of the globe, some made by the company that bears their name. A French 14th-century copper messenger box, an early 20th-century pakum bag from Cameroon, green plastic bags from Marks & Spencer, a 1995 Srebrenica refugee's tied bundle, Ultra Violet's Hermes black leather "Bolt" clutch dating from the 1930s—all are here, and discussed with an infectious mix of exuberance and seriousness that is uncommon for an exhibition catalogue such as this. The Paris Musee de la Mode show closes this month, but a mini-exhibit of "rare and unusual bags" will mark the opening of New York's Madison Avenue Hermes store on March 16. Even if one misses the gala, the plethora of short, variously authored chapters ("My Grandmother's Furoshikis," "A Few Wineskins and Bags on Olympus") framing 300 color (and 35 b&w) illustrations, provides more than enough glamour—and everyday carriage. -Publishers Weekly
The bag is one of the most universal and oldest objects invented by humankind. What began as a prosaic item for everyday use can now be a luxurious treasure that confers instant status. In this unique, lavishly illustrated volume, published to accompany the exhibition Le Cas du Sac, noted fashion historian Farid Chenoune and 24 experts present an unimaginable wealth of bags made for everyone from kings and celebrities to shamans and vagabonds.
This comprehensive book explores the bag as high-fashion totem; travelers' bags; bags for professionals; bags related to money and ceremony; and bags as talismans. The beautiful illustrations, including paintings, fashion photographs, and ethnographic and decorative objects, reveal the variety and importance of bags throughout time, from designer Philip Treacy's silk evening bag printed with Andy Warhol's signature Campbell Soup cans, to the pangu, the bags used by Bamum tribal kings of Western Africa for holding the sovereign's regalia. A co-publication with Hermes, the Parisian designer of luxurious bags and leather goods, Carried Away is sure to delight fashion enthusiasts and those interested in material culture from around the world. AUTHOR BIO: Farid Chenoune is a cultural and fashion historian. He teaches at the Institut Francais de la mode and the Ecole national superieure des arts decoratifs. He has written, among other works, A History of Men's Fashion; Beneath It All: A Century of French Lingerie, and a monograph on Jean-Paul Gaultier. He writes frequently for French Vogue.
