Jessica Alba, Poppy Delevingne Join Aquazzura’s Edgardo Osorio in Celebrating Handbags Debut
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PARIS — “Of course, you either do it this way or you don’t,” said Aquazzura’s founder Edgardo Osorio at the big bash he hosted on Monday to celebrate his brand’s expansion into the bag category.
For the official debut, Osorio didn’t embrace a gradual approach but rather opted for developing a full-fledged collection launching several different styles, each available in multiple colorways.
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These were showcased in floral installations that dominated the lavish halls of Hotel D’Evreux here, overlooking the landmark Place Vendôme, where the likes of Jessica Alba, Poppy Delevingne and Frida Aasen joined a plethora of influencers, all perched on their Aquazzura stilettos.
Many guests already held the brand’s new bags in their hands, including Alba, who after attending the Stella McCartney show earlier that day and appearing front row at Balmain and Palm Angels the days before continued her Paris Fashion Week tour at the Aquazzura cocktail event, matching a total-black look with the new “24/7” bag.
One of the hero styles of the collection, the rectangular-shaped design is defined by a triangular metal mesh detail embellished with a leather tassel.
“When I was starting to work on bags, I wanted [to embrace] two directions,” Osorio told WWD. “For the day I wanted things that were iconic, could stand the test of time and that were quite versatile — bags that you can wear from day to night,” he said, pointing to the “24/7” design as well as to the “Twist” leather clutch with a torchon metal closure. “You can wear [them] top handle, as a shoulder bag, crossbody…and have a design that’s very recognizable. You have either the twist bar or you have the tassel with the metal mesh but it’s not about the logo.”
Other styles came covered in crystals and bold colors, including the lip-shaped “Kiss Me” minaudière seen in the hands of Delevingne and the geometric “Tequila” clutch. “I call them ‘conversation starters’: bags that are fun, make you smile and you have a good time with,” Osorio said.
The designer had approached this product category before with a capsule of 20 one-of-a-kind limited-edition bags with semiprecious stones with French artist Béatrice Serre for the Venice Biennale, which he said sold out the same evening to collectors.
Looking forward, Osorio confirmed he’s readying the launch of men’s footwear, as reported. He also aims to expand his brand into eyewear and a fragrance next, he said.
All these launches might mark Osorio’s return to Paris for similar fancy soirées. “We’re an Italian brand but I think that when I’m launching something the real capital of fashion of the world is Paris. I launched my first shoes here and whenever I have something important, I always come to Paris,” he said.
So far the only exception was the debut of Aquazzura’s tableware collection, hosted during Milan Design Week last year, instead. That inaugural line was part of the Aquazzura Casa project Osorio first introduced in 2020, when he tapped designer Fiona Leahy as co-creative director to develop the home business.
The project was also among the initiatives marking the brand’s 10th anniversary in 2022, which turned out to be a busy year for Osorio. Projects included the expansion of Aquazzura’s Florence boutique — the birthplace of the luxury brand — resulting in its biggest store worldwide and reflecting the evolution of the label from its core footwear business into a lifestyle label; the opening of the Paris store on Rue Saint-Honoré, echoing the opulent vibe of his stand-alone units in Milan and Capri, Italy, London and New York, and the launches of capsule collections with Mytheresa as well as with Swarovski on sandals with sculptural, crystal-encrusted heels, to name a few.
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