How the clutch went casual

There was a time when a clutch bag was the automatic accessory for a night out. Then again, there was also a time when Messenger bags were the sole property of couriers, when backpacks were just for schoolkids and when a tote was actually used to lug shopping about. Now, tote bags are a staple in every city girl’s wardrobe, backpack-clad Hoxtonites can be seen in their droves, and Alexa Chung has stolen the Messenger from the postmen. As for the clutch; well, it’s no longer nocturnal.

In line with the demand for 18-hour dawn-to-dusk dressing, the clutch bag has become the unlikely success story for next season. But in order to suit its rigorous new lifestyle, the design has had to undergo significant modifications. While a tiny pillbox will serve for a night at the opera, it’s definitely not the bag to handle the overspill from a day at the office — or even an iPhone, for that matter. Instead, a breed of unfussy, large leather styles — a natural evolution from the clean square lines of iPad cases — is currently finding favour in palms and elbow crooks everywhere.

Naturally, it was the seasoned masters of smart-casual styling that produced the best of the bunch. Chloe’s AW12 collection offered a blend of British street style and Parisian chic, with evening

T-shirts, voluminous coats and thick chunky knits together with large, butter-soft leather clutches in scarlet, tan and dove grey, while New York label BCBG MaxAzria teamed simple clasped clutches in python and calf skin with floaty autumnal smock dresses. Phillip Lim also aligned his structured monochromatic offering with large fold-over bags, while Camberwell-based accessories brand Moxham has it sussed with its offering of big, bold leather clutches in colour pop shades of tangerine, turquoise and sugary pink. Of course, all of the above can still handle a night on the tiles.