Alexander Wang Sydney Velvet Backpack | Utilitarian Styled Backpack in Lush Black Velvet

Posted on: Aug 19

Alexander Wang is known for bridging the gap between the avant garde and the mainstream. His designs usually combine the best of both worlds. This soft, edgy black velvet backpack is a good example of his design aesthetic, although I'm not positive it's his most successful endeavor.

The crushed black velvet instantly recalls the late 90s. There was a three-year span when it seemed like everything was made out of velvet, crushed velvet, or velour, and this bag is definitely hearkening back to that time. The black chiffon tie is a fluidly beautiful contrast to the black velvet, and gives the bag an extra dose of gothic glamour.

This bag is a little amorphous and hard to describe. It's a long barrel shape with a drawstring and a foldover flap top, but the floaty fabrics obscure the structure of the bag almost entirely. Honestly, I wasn't really into it at first, but it's kind of starting to grow on me. The flowy, delicate fabrics are a great contrast to the practical, utilitarian shape.

And at $775, the Sydney really isn't badly priced for such a high design item. Sure, it's not exactly affordable, but it's got a lot of style packed into that price tag.