6 accessories trends for spring/summer 2021, from Chanel’s fancy pearls and Dior’s boho fringes, to Valentino’s throwback gladiator sandals and Dolce & Gabbana’s chilled out men’s slip-ons

Apr 6 , 2021

Valentino’s spring/summer 2021 collection unveiled at Milan in September, 2021. Photo: Valentino

This season’s fashion weeks revealed that cross-body bags – and even bags worn around the neck – were all the rage at Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Givenchy and more

Pantone might have declared Ultimate Gray and Illuminating as colours of the year, but designers like Michael Kors and Victoria Beckham prefer verdant green

Trends are often recycled from seasons past, and with spring/summer 2021 perhaps marking a turning point in the pandemic, it’s especially poignant to witness the ingenuity of fashion’s foremost creatives as they concoct ways to start over.

Read on for a look into the minds behind Balmain, Chanel, Saint Laurent and other brands as they present us with impactful accessories to complete any ensemble and give your look that touch of flair needed to stand out.

What’s your bag? This season sees a flood of fresh takes on the most essential of accessories. Photo: Hermès

Bags of surprises

Fashion houses are making the case for wearing your bag crossbody-style – or even around your neck. Jacquemus, notorious for minuscule holdalls only big enough to hold AirPods, has scaled up its latest offering with heavily embellished unisex sling bags. Balmain’s signature mazelike “PB” initials are emblazoned all over a thin pouch worn around the neck with gold chain, presumably to keep only choice essentials close. Louis Vuitton’s Nicholas Ghesquière, meanwhile, strapped an envelope-sized patent leather bag with a chic gold lock onto a couple of his models. At Fendi and Givenchy, designers attached reusable water bottles for your daily outings.

Bags worn around the neck are a key feature of the season. Photo: Chanel

All tied up

Summer sandals for women just became a little more complicated with the gladiator redux we saw strutting down the runways of Jacquemus, Etro and Gianvito Rossi.

While some styles have stayed true to the strappy sandals we knew from the early 1990s that coiled around knees or even thighs, there are now pared-down versions that merely wrap around the ankles. We see this new rendition with Valentino’s famous rockstuds in Milan or in the laid-back raffia sandals in Dior, while more outlandish design experiments grace the latest Tod’s collection.