Major designers are bringing the historically gendered accessory across the divide. 

If there&rsquo;s one apparent shift in fashion, as evidenced during the recent menswear shows, it is the ever-growing consciousness (and embrace) of gender-non-comformity. More and more, designers like Alessandro Michele at Gucci, Vivienne Westwood, and Demna Gvasalia of Balenciaga are opting into combined runways to showcase their men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s collections together, making it possible for pieces to move fluidly across genders. At Vetements this season, gender appeared to play no role in who wore lace and heels and who didn&rsquo;t.

With that growing consciousness comes the inevitable breakdown of gendered garments and accessories. Womenswear staples like heels, skirts (thank you, Kanye), makeup, blouses, and jewelry have all come a long way in breaking their gendered bubbles and crossing over into menswear. But what about the handbag?

In recent history, purses or handbags worn by men, often called &ldquo;murses&rdquo; or &ldquo;manbags&rdquo; have been the butt of jokes. They fueled gay panic humor on popular &lsquo;90s sitcoms like Seinfeld and Friends. Just last year, Vogue ran an <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/men-wearing-tote-bags-trend-dwayne-wade-balenciaga">article</a> online about how tote bags (a &ldquo;mote,&rdquo; the writer called it) had started finding favor among men &mdash; from &ldquo;wimpy&nbsp;to chic&quot; read the lede, though the few men interviewed were less than convinced. That same writer, six months later, <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/anwar-hadid-goyard-blue-purse">wrote about</a> model Anwar Hadid carrying a crossbody purse. Her text implied that the bag was a gift from his sisters &mdash; not, say, a gift to himself.&nbsp;

Though some clearly remain skeptics, menswear designers this Fall 2018 season were not.

_MON0191.jpg

On Thursday, at Kim Jones&rsquo;s last show for Louis Vuitton, men wore small handbags over their shoulders that look a lot like the house&rsquo;s <a href="https://us.louisvuitton.com/eng-us/products/petite-malle-epi-nvprod440073v">Petite Malle</a> crossbody for women. Prada boasted its black nylon and leather bags and Fendi showed a small monogrammed fur purse. Dries Van Noten had a snake-skinned crossbody on the runway. A masked model (long nails protruding from his face) at Palm Angels also carried a purse. Leaders of fashion&rsquo;s brightest, biggest and global brands have clearly weighed in.

The handbag for men is here, and let&rsquo;s please stop calling it a murse. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Valentino

Prada

Fendi

Louis Vuitton

Palm Angels

Dries Van Noten

Handbags for Men Are Here — Just Don't Call Them Murses

L'OFFICIEL USA December 2024 - Julianne Moore Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA November 2024 - Salma Hayek Pinault Cover

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA October 2024 - Rupert Friend Cover

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA October 2024 - Joseph Quinn Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA September 2024 - Fall Fashion Cover Featuring Supermodel Sasha Pivovarova

L'OFFICIEL USA June 2024 - Nicole Kidman Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA June 2024 - Megan Thee Stallion Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA May 2024 - Jackson Wang Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA May 2024 - Natalie Portman Cover

Handbags for Men Are Here — Just Don't Call Them Murses

Tags

Recommended posts for you

Fashion

Bottega Veneta Has a New Creative Director: Meet Louise Trotter

Davos

Jet Settled

Fashion

Thrill of the Frill: Ruffles and Boho's Return

Shopping

9 Lace Tights That Will Effortlessly Elevate Your Style

Travel & Living

A Design Lover's Ultimate Milan Travel Guide

Pop culture

See Selena Gomez's Engagement Ring and How Much Her 'Rare' Diamond Cost

Fashion

7 Breathtaking Jewelry Moments in Film

Shopping

18 Luxury Pet Accessories for the Person Who Dresses Up Their Dog