Balenciaga’s Le Cagole, Dior’s Saddle, Prada’s Cleo, and now, the Dsquared2 Gothic Belt Bag. Every now and then, a fashion brand will release a bag that perfectly embodies its codes and style while appealing to a wider audience, inevitably devising the it bag effect. The next to join this list by storming our feeds and stealing our hearts is the Dsquared2 Gothic Belt Bag, a goth girl’s dream if there ever was one.
It is everything Dsquared2 is about: strikingly bold, daring, somewhat subversive and very obviously sexually charged. The laminated leather bag features silver hardware in the form of eyelets across the shoulder strap and body strap, a hanging beaded chain, and a sizable branded logo in a classic gothic serif font.
The Dean and Dan Caten-designed bag – as well as the itty-bitty Gothic Belt Clutch version – debuted during the Fall/Winter 2023 runway show, paired with an equally seductive and desirable set of clothing. One model, for example, wore a belly-button plunging diamenté bodysuit, an off-the-shoulder short Afghan coat à la Penny Lane, and a pair of low-waisted, distressed jeans worn with a pegasus-buckled studded belt, all while holding the bag that would soon to be referred to as the Dsquared2 bag.
What’s an it bag without an it girl co-sign? In the Gothic Belt Bag’s case, its long list of wearers have only cemented its iconic cultural status. It has been sported by Dsquared2 favourite Julia Fox (specifically with her seashell bra top SS24 after-party look), popstars Dua Lipa and Anitta, and City Girls’ JT, just to name a few.
A signature bag is exactly what Dsquared2 needed this year. The Italian brand was initially founded by the Caten twins in the ‘90s, and while it wasn’t quite the erotica-indulging fest it is today, the brand has always been teasing us with open-shirt blouses and underwear as outerwear. Since its inception, Dsquared2 has gone against the classic styles often associated with Italian fashion, and now it has grown into a (wet) dreamed-up fantastical universe of its own.
Over the past few seasons, Dsquared2 has distinguished itself more so than ever before, truly embracing the “sex sells” mentality. Take its SS24 collection for example: before the models started coming down the runway, guests were treated with a vintage-style film that was directed by and featured the iconic Italian adult film star, Rocco Siffredi. Talk about being on brand.
Though Dsquared2 is widely known for its sexual innuendos (that are actually more blatant rather than insinuated hints), Dsquared2 isn’t all about sex. It still manages to create fun and playful garments, high-quality tailoring and boundary-pushing designs, all while nailing its cultural references.
The Gothic Belt Bag is a culmination of all those things. The use of leather gives us a taste of exquisite Italian craftsmanship, while the silver hardware nods to BDSM attire (though the chain’s bulbous beads have been left miniscule in comparison to its inspiration piece). The prominent oval-shaped buckle ties the whole piece together with branding done with a flair, as well as tapping with fashion’s current obsession with silver hardware.
It’s a style-first, yet practical bag. It’s a trend we’ve seen all over the runway this season, and we’re glad to. Afterall, why should we be forced to choose between one or the other? The only choice we should be making is whether we’re opting for the black or the white leathered version.
The bag lands just in time for you to get gothed-up this Halloween season, without taking away from the it piece’s timelessness. Priced at £920, the Gothic Belt Bag is up for grabs online (though probably not for long), while its baby sister, the Clutch version, is going for £790.
Buckle up and strap on, Dsquared2’s Gothic Belt Bag is coming to town and isn’t leaving anytime soon.
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