At some point in our lives, we’ve all found ourselves rummaging through our moms’ old closets in search of hidden treasures from the past. Perhaps we hoped to stumble upon a caviar Chanel flap or a 20-year-old vintage leather coat neatly tucked away somewhere. Yet, often times, it’s the handbags with immense character that win over the space in our closet and our hearts for years to come. It seems that now, more than ever, beaded handbags are reclaiming their place in the fashion scene, fueled especially by our generation’s obsession with all things Y2K and, more importantly, vintage.
From the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s, the artisanal beaded handbag rose in popularity as a way for women to easily carry their possessions and showcase their skill sets to society. Glass beads soon decorated reticule drawstring purses and chatelaine handbags often found hooked onto a woman’s belt. As the bag gained appeal in Europe, particularly France, it eventually made its way to America in the early 1900s, where they began producing their own steel beads. But perhaps, the most notable period for beaded purses was during the Roaring Twenties when designs flourished with the Art Deco, floral, geometric, and abstract patterns, often featuring the distinctive beaded fringe. It was also an era where purses became especially indispensable to the modern woman as she carried more make-up and money with her as a symbol of independence.
