DUBAI: Not one to buck a trend, Lebanese fashion designer and blogger Lana El-Sahely took to Instagram last week to celebrate the much-reported-on return of Dior’s iconic saddle bag.
Images of the immediately recognizable bag — with its almost kidney bean-like shape — have flooded social media as of late, with one news website reporting that the sweeping takeover could be part of a coordinated campaign by Dior.
“Folks who follow even a single fashion influencer likely noted that they all seem to be sporting the new saddle… Some influencers did note that it was a gift from Dior, either by explicitly acknowledging it or using the hashtag #SuppliedbyDior. But this only added to the confusion,” Quartzy reported on Friday.
However, there has been no confirmation from the French fashion house and, all the while, the world’s fashion bloggers continue to fill their feeds with images of the bags.
Dior showed off a red version of the bag on social media. (Instagram)
From Brazilian star Camila Coelho to El-Sahely herself, the mid-sized bags have been popping up across Instagram.
“Bringing back the saddle,” El-Sahely captioned a photograph of herself holding a patchwork version of the bag while in Shanghai.
“My turn to rock the #DiorSaddle. She’s back, she’s iconic and I’m already OBSSESED!” Coelho, who boasts 7.3 million followers on her Instagram account, posted alongside a snap in which she is pulling a power pose with a monochromatic saddle bag in front of a funky, graffiti-covered wall.
Dior showed off the revamped bags as part of its Autumn/Winter 2018 collection in March. The brand showed off a number of stylish versions of the bag — from a black-and-white, Dior-printed version to patchwork and beaded designs. Elle magazine reported last week that there are now more than 15 versions of the bag available — so you may want to think about saving up and clearing some space in your closet.
El-Sahely posed with the bag in Shanghai. (Instagram)
Originally designed in 1999, the design debuted on the Spring/Summer runway under John Galliano’s stewardship of the fashion house. This year, Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri decided to restore the bag to its former glory.
“I thought this collection would be an opportunity to revive its timeless beauty,” Grazia said in a press release at the time. “I consider this icon of the house’s recent history the perfect accessory to deal with the battle that is daily life.”
The brand also took to Instagram to reveal more about the bag.
“Larger and more robust, but also very colorful, embroidered or with beaded fringe, the newest version of the saddle bag by Artistic Director #MariaGraziaChiuri is, in her own words, ‘like a chameleon, it adapts to all situations’.”
US-Palestinian model Bella Hadid was spotted wearing a denim version of the bag in the past few months, something that will no doubt cause fashion fans to covet the bag.
Bella Hadid wore a denim version of the iconic bag. (Getty Image)
