82
Although clutches could
not hold much and were
difficult to carry, the
streamlined look
continued to dominate
handbag design from new
houses like Lanvin and
Patou. In 1933 Van Cleef
and Arpels took the clutch
to the next level of
glamour in their creation
of the minaudiere. These
small clutches, also made
by Cartier, were crafted of
gold or sterling silver an
encrusted with jewels and
quickly became popular
among socialites and film
stars. Today, Judith Leiber
is the queen of minaudiere
design and her crystalencrusted clutches in the
shape of things from
animals to cupcakes are
the evening bags of choice
for the rich and famous.
Joy feelings magazine
1930-1945 Novelty & No
Nonsense Bags
With the elaborateness of
minaudieres and the
popularity of surrealism in
Europe, modernism was
no longer the style in
handbags by the early
1930’s. The clutch
remained popular but was
soon joined by the novelty
bag as the notable style of
the time. Italian designer
Elsa Schiaparelli, inspired
by the paintings of
Salvador Dali, pioneered
the making of these
whimsical new handbags.
She made purses in the
form of a piano, an
umbrella, a folded
newspaper and a glass
birdcage among others.
Other designers followed
suit, leaving the geometric
lines of modernism behind
in favor of more shocking
and unusual creations.