ONE particular small structured bag has been making its mark on Instagram of late. There it is dangling from model Paloma Elsesser’s fingertips; Petra Collins paired hers with a flame-covered slip dress. Even Dev Hynes has been spotted with not one but two of what might at first glance appear to be a nondescript shopper. But zoom in and you’ll spot the small gold name stamped at the top: Medea, a new Milan-based label poised to have next season’s “It Bag.”

Named after Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1969 film about the Greek mythological sorceress, Medea is the brainchild of artists, models, and twin sisters Giulia and Camilla Venturini.

“We always were into bags and would spend money on those instead of clothes, so we thought, why not make a very fine leather bag that is shaped like a shopping bag,” remembers Giulia, a self-professed provocateur. “You have to get really close to the bag to realize it’s not plastic,” Camilla adds with a laugh.

Crafted from matte calfskin leather in Verona, Italy, the prima (Italian for “first”) style will launch at Dover Street Market, opening ceremony, and Selfridges in July. The bags come in eight eye-candy colors and four sizes, ranging from a micro just big enough for a new piece of jewelry to an oversize version fit for a full-blown shopping spree. “We are not very girly, so the product is simple and elegant and can be used for day or night. It doesn’t make you look like you have a fancy, feminine bag, but more like you have a cool bag,” says Giulia.

The straightforward shape also creates a natural canvas for experimentation, Camilla notes. The duo plans to expand their collection with a handful of artist collaborations every year — the first of which will launch in September. “The artists can do whatever they want with the bag. It’ll be almost impossible to recognize the starting object,” says Giulia, who remains mum on just who the artists are, but nevertheless promises the limited-edition items will cause a stir.

(SD-Agencies)