Max Hurd is a Who What Wear UK Editor in Residence and London-based art director, tastemaker, interior stylist and creative consultant. A collaborator and advisor to leading luxury brands including Manolo Blahnik, Farfetch, Asprey, Cartier, H&M and Patrón Tequila, his exuberant aesthetic—which he describes as “Oscar Wilde meets Marie-Antoinette by way of a Brazilian bordello”—enables him to curate, write and create across interiors and culture.
Since the dawn of what we rather grandly refer to as “civilisation”, men have been adorning themselves with all manner of odds and sods in the interest of cementing superior social status over each other. Feathers, beads, gold, jewels, the skin of our fellow mammals: you name it, we’ve worn it.
Right up until the 19th century, men’s fashion was often as flamboyant and ostentatious as women’s, and it was only with the arrival of Queen Victoria’s permanent downward smile that men’s fashion became much more restrained and restrictive. Then, from out of the closet burst the gays, slowly injecting much-needed experimentation into the male wardrobe. I’m looking at you, Stephen Tennant and Cecil Beaton, you bunch of Bright Young Things.
For years, men’s fashion was considered a purely homosexual affair. That was until David Beckham gave the straight community permission to experiment with it back in the ‘90s and ‘00s. Since then, ever so slowly, we’ve seen heterosexual men become much more comfortable reaching for something other than a T-shirt and jeans. First came Becks in his sarong, then men started wearing (slightly) heeled boots again and now the boys have joined the girls and the gays in the arena of the designer handbag. No longer do men have to hide behind the illusion of a “manbag”—who were they kidding?—the era of “the handbag man” is here.
When it comes to spending money, men and women are very different. In my opinion, women often spend money on themselves to feel good, whereas men tend to spend money to make themselves look good to others. They are happy to drop huge amounts of cash—be it on cars, art or now, luxury accessories—as long as other people can see them do it. And, in my opinion, straight men are also only really comfortable dropping serious cash on items they consider investments.
The luxury watch market cottoned on many years ago, and its understanding of male spending logic is summed up perfectly by the iconic Patek Philippe ads that advise the viewer that someone never really owns a Patek Phillipe; they merely look after it for the next generation. The opportunity to create legacy is irresistible to men, and so any brand that can tap into that primal desire is onto a winner.
Precious stones, watches and designer clothes are the new beads and feathers. They show status, and the more you have of them, the bigger the impression you make on your fellow man, or, crucially, women. For the last couple of decades, the height of male sartorial power spending was the watch. The watch you wore defined your social and financial status. (I remember going to a wedding once without wearing a watch. The groom looked at me like I was the saddest person in the world and asked why I wasn’t wearing a Rolex, wondering if it was because I didn’t own one, before proceeding to ask me if I would like to “borrow” one of his to wear for the day if that were true.)
Now, with men reaching for new ways to show off their spending and sartorial credentials, the luxury handbag market has entered the chat. Over the past couple of years, handbags have shot up in price. In a decade, the retail price of an Hermès Birkin has increased by 44%, and the rest of the market has floated up with it. Handbags have gone from being something to carry your essentials in to full-on wealth signifiers and investment pieces in their own right. No longer are designer handbags something the everyday girlie can save up for; the crème de la crème is unattainable for most, and therefore über-desirable to a man with spending power.
By raising prices, brands have started appealing to a smaller market, but one with a larger chequebook, which is why so many men are now seen flaunting designs previously reserved for the female shopper. Thanks to the internet, we also have instant access to the prices of these pieces, so when we see Harry Styles walking around with a leopard-print Chanel Maxi Flap Bag with a retail price of £7170, it’s not just about showing us his personal style; it’s also a financial flex. And, importantly, these designs appeal to the straight man, as others are less likely to ridicule him for carrying a handbag that costs more than their car.
The pull of a designer handbag also lies in the fact that body shape and age never come into play. You cannot be too big, small, old or young for a high-quality design. A black Birkin is a black Birkin no matter who you are. A handbag is also a way for men to express themselves through fashion without clothes that would perhaps make them feel uncomfortable. A male celebrity can wear a blue jumper and jeans à la Jacob Elordi, shoving his keys, wallet and phone into a Bottega bag and guaranteeing himself a slot on any best-dressed list. The same goes for footballers like Erling Haaland, who can descend from their private jets in boring tracksuits clutching crocodile handbags worth more than most people earn in a year, and be hailed as style icons.
Handbags have always been a way to inject fun and interest into any outfit, and I am particularly obsessed with the JW Anderson resin bags, which come in the form of hedgehogs, frogs, pigeons and (my favourite) canaries! They are humorous whilst also being beautifully made using the latest 3D printing methods; truly cutting-edge pieces of design. This pioneering use of technology also appeals to the discerning gentleman who will no longer settle for something crummily made or mass-produced. We’re all drawn to good design made using refined techniques, and luxury handbags, whilst being innovative in terms of fashion, are rooted in human skill and care. A high-quality designer handbag lasts, and in a world of more, more, more, there is comfort in buying something you know will stand the test of time.
At the end of the day, a Birkin is really just a fancy briefcase, which was previously all us men could acceptably carry. But as we moved away from office jobs, suits and ties, we needed something new that wasn’t a dreaded backpack. (Acceptable only for hikers and school kids!) Bulging pockets ruin outfits, so personally, I am thrilled that we men folk have joined the throng jostling for the latest It bags. So, girlies, next time you see your man eyeing up your handbag, beware: he might be asking to borrow it soon!
