The summer holidays may be some time away, but for those who can’t wait the souvenirs are already on sale. Coral bracelets, kitsch keyrings and shell necklaces are some of this season’s most covetable accessories.
Anya Hindmarch has brought the holiday mood to west London with a pop-up shop that she describes as “a love letter to the classic souvenir shops you find tucked away in favourite holiday destinations”.
The facade is covered in vintage tiling and a retro awning while inside there is everything from fridge magnets to rolls of Kodak Gold film interspersed among Hindmarch’s classic raffia tote bags, and upcycled shirts by the London brand Pikol using Spanish souvenir glass cloths.
Meanwhile, the accessories sections of fast-fashion retailers such as Zara are peppered with riffs on ceramic shell necklaces and coral-effect bracelets.
Balenciaga’s latest it-bag, The Rodeo, comes adorned with a cacophony of charms, including a tasselled door key fob – evoking that sudden realisation that you forgot to return it on checkout – alongside garish dolphin- and heart-shaped keyrings – similar to those bought from a beachside stand to placate a child.
Of course, one person’s tat has always been another’s treasure. As the author Lucy Lethbridge notes, souvenirs are rooted in ideas around taste. “I mean, 50 years ago it may be that tourists took home kitsch things because they thought they were beautiful,” she says. “Nowadays, the young know that kitsch is kitsch but it’s very knowing, it’s a sort of camp aesthetic which is popular.”
While Balenciaga’s souvenir-inspired look costs £8,500, on TikTok users have got to work emulating it on the cheap. Scouting out beaten up bags from vintage sites, there are detailed tutorials on how to “Jane Birkin-ify” them, a reference to the actor who was known for covering the Hermès Birkin bag she inspired with cheap trinkets and Free Tibet stickers.
Pop stars, including Dua Lipa and Lily Allen, have joined the trend of adorning bags with tchotchkes. On the secondhand platform Depop, searches for bag charms this month are up 29%.