Satchel Crush: How-To Style Yours

With American diner style restaurants and thrift boutiques popping up all over the UK, not to mention Instagram - social media’s hottest trend, vintage revival is everywhere at the moment. And what better way to champion the vintage trend than with a satchel?

Since its humble beginnings as a schoolboy’s textbook holder, the satchel has grown to become a worldwide trend and staple piece in the bag collections of celebrities and fashionistas alike.

At Nica, we are also quite fond of satchels and have created our very own vintage-inspired collection combining pretty prints, intricate detailing and covetable colours. Let’s take a peek at the current collection and how to style the trend: 

The Classic

Introducing our best-selling Alicia satchel in classic tan, beautifully finished with cut out detailing, a floral printed interior and a simple twist lock. This boho bag was even featured in Joss Stone’s new music video, The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind), and you can read more about our Joss Stone collaboration here. 

Style in the day with a printed tea dress, cut out detail flats and a flower hair accessory. The Alicia also comes in bone white, midnight black and turquoise, which one will you choose?

The Agyness

This year’s Great Gatsby film topped the style charts, with main character Daisy donning mauve Charleston dresses, silver accented jewels and embellished hair pieces. Channel vintage glamour with this Agyness mink pink satchel featuring elegant bow detailing and a branded rose gold charm.

Embrace the 1920’s look and style your satchel with a tassled flapper dress, sequinned finger gloves and the prettiest shoes you can find.

The Print

With a spotted bird print design and bicycle motif, the printed satchel is a playful twist on the classic style and perfect for modern girls who want to embrace the trend without looking like they've stumbled into a time warp. Style this day wear accessory with skinny jeans, brogues and a chunky cable knit jumper.

We hope that this selection of satchel bags has given you some style inspiration – click here to view our full collection. 

Look how well our Alicia satchel fits in with Joss Stone's boho infused style. How would you wear yours? 

Nica Team

x x 

Discover What Happened When Nica Went Behind the Scenes on Joss Stone's New Video

We were thrilled to discover that international Singer/Songwriter Joss Stone is a massive fan of our handbags, and all the more so when we found out that our beautiful Alicia satchel was set for a starring role in her much anticipated new music video for ‘The Love We Had’.

We were invited down for an exclusive behind the scenes glimpse of how the video was made, and even managed to catch up with Joss before the filming began, who flattered us by saying  "I love the Nica bags, they're wonderful - I wear them  for everyday use."

Joss has a much coveted Boho infused style that some of our handbags fit alongside perfectly, so, it’s no wonder that she loves to wear our designs so much. We were even more excited when she told us; "My Mum's got one, my best friend's got one, and we just love them!".

 

Her amazing new song and video depict the story of a breakup, and it's definitely a number that you can't get out of your head after hearing it! Plus, you can spot Nica's Alicia satchel several times throughout! Why not watch our special  behind the scenes video of the filming of 'The Love We Had', and see how many times you can find it for yourself? Plus, that comes with the added bonus of an exclusive interview about the song with Joss Stone!

Here's one of our favourite snaps from her new video... Okay, maybe we were a bit biased because we spotted our Alicia satchel in bone hanging in the background! 

And of course, we couldn't end our exciting behind the scenes news without catching up with brand Founder Nica Kim as to see what she thought about her coolest new fan, who told us; "Joss' individuality, passion for creativity and unique sense of style make her the perfect example of a Nica girl, so, I am thrilled that Joss has chosen to feature the Alicia satchel in her long-awaited comeback video."

Discover Nica’s Inspiration: Time Travel to the 1960s Part Two

I adore most retro fashion scenes but the fun and quirkiness of the 1960s never fails to inspire me whilst I'm designing my handbags. I particularly loved the Mod movement with its innovative aesthetics, colourful fabrics, and bold geometric designs. 

Barracano silk hooded cape by Emilio Pucci, 1965

Source: Emilio Pucci

(Right) Mary Quant Stockings, c. 1960s / (Left) André Courrèges,  Vogue 1969. 

Source: Vogue Archive

“It was a marvellous time. In the ‘60s you were knocked in the eyeballs.

Everybody, everything was new.”

Diana Vreeland – Editor in Chief of US Vogue 1963 – 1971

I really love the swirls of classic and geometric patterns that prevailed within textiles during the 60s. A legendary exhibition called The Responsive Eye, held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1965, greatly triggered the merging of geometric patterns and fashion textiles in the form of Op Art.

Catalogue cover of the Responsive Eye, Op Art Exhibition in MOMA 1965

Source: Cool Hunting  

In particular, dazzling black-and-white paintings by Bridget Louis Riley, a London-based English Painter, whose painting (Current, 1964) was reproduced on the cover of the exhibition’s catalogue, prompted an ‘op art’ fashion craze in the 1960's! Her work greatly influenced the designers of this era, including Pierre Cardin, John Bates, and Mary Quant. 

(Left) Movement in Squares, by Bridget Riley 1961  (Right) Artist Bridget Riley (c. 1960s)

Source: 2 Modern Blog

Mary Quant dress in 1964 

Source: Mary Quant on Tumblr

I actually prefer the op-art fashion trend of the late 1960s, as it was more abstract and less constructed than the early 1960s. 

Op- art fashion inspired textile, photo by André Carrara, 1967

Source: Vogue Italy 

Fashion-trends constantly come back around, and I've already noticed Sixties' inspired playful cuts, silhouettes, and geometric shapes within the 2013 fashion trends but with a modern twist. 

 Model in Kaleidoscope Polka Dot Dress for Dayton, c. 1960s ⓒ Erwin Blumenfild

           Marc Jacobs SS13 Campaign Ruby Jean Wilson

        by Juergen Teller  ⓒ Marc Jacobs

I feel like Op Art's typical geometric form is definitely getting a new lease of life within modern designs. 

Are you ready to enjoy Nica's take on this? 

Love,

Nica Kim

xxx

Festival Fashion History: How to Inspire Your Next Outfit

Nobody can deny that there’s an integral link between fashion and music, and over the years as musical tastes have changed, fashion trends have also followed suit. So, as you can imagine, the music festivals that we flock to each summer have also changed over the years.

For instance, nothing screams Hippie culture more than Woodstock 1969! The feel was relaxed and liberated, and the fashion choices similarly so.

Source: SideStreetStyle

But if we flash forward to the Eighties and look at the fashion choices at the iconic Live Aid concert, the stark contrast is evident. A more androgynous vibe prevailed amongst the women, with artists like Madonna performing in masculine inspired power jackets. Just look at that trend setting print upon her jeans too! 

Source: Live Aid on Tumblr 

Despite the often muddy locations, choosing your festival outfit isn't all about being practical either, it’s a chance to be as creative, or rather, as eccentric as you fancy. 

The general fashion feel of a festival may be different from one decade to the next, but elements from the different eras still appear at today's festivals. Who hasn't bought a Hippie style fringed handbag for a festival, right? 

Actress Sienna Miller's festival style is a prime example of this, as she's often seen channelling that Boho chic vibe, - just as she did at Glastonbury earlier this year. 

Source: Metro

Festival season is in full swing, and we still have V Festival and Bestival to look forward to in the forthcoming weeks, which means that we've still got outfits to plan! Looking back through festival fashion history is definitely inspiring, but if all else fails, we know that we can always opt for that faithful Boho look! 

And nothing completes a Boho inspired outfit better than a fitting handbag, so if you're looking for the perfect piece, then, why not be inspired by Nica's latest Marnie collection?

The owl themed Camera bag or Acrossbody would make the perfect companion to take along to your next festival. 

The Nica Team 
xxx 

Discover Nica’s design inspiration: Time travel to the Sixties

My favourite ever retro fashion era? Definitely the Sixties!

The reason why I am especially fond of this era is because of its pioneering eclectic style, which portrays the iconic youth culture movement, the hippy revolution, and the unique concept of free love, yet still somehow manages to maintain an air of the Fifties' more conservative and constrained style.

Photo by Norman Parkinson, 1963 for LIFE magazine

Source: ShipShapeandBristolFashion

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

-  Coco Chanel -

Vogue Cover - June 1, 1966
 Source: Vogue Archive

Twiggy, 1967

Source: BohoCircus Typepad

The legendary Sixties was the brightest decade in the history of fashion, which was shaped by a variety of radical, forward thinking young Designers such as  Mary Quant, André Courrèges, Mila Schön, Pierre Gardin and Paco Rabbane.

Pierre Gardin’s Cosmos Collection, 1964 
Source: IHT

Metal woven dress by Paco Rabanne - June 1, 1966 
Source: Vogue Archive

Mary Quant’s dresses in 1966

Source: Tumblr

"Wherever the girls went there was silence. Elly was completely blue: blue make-up, blue clothes, blue cap and blue curls. Eva was all green, Del all violet. Some girls were all in black... in their full regalia looking as if they had just left a Fellini set".

- Barbara Hulanicki, 'From A to Biba'.

Biba boutique at Kensington, London in the 1960s

Source: The Pessimiss 

Youths constantly challenged the Status Quo during the Sixties and the concept of subcultural belonging was at its highest with fashion trends predominately bubbling up from the streets. The ‘Mods’ for instance, radically influenced not only fashion trends but also every other imaginable aspects of everyday life.

There were also numerous independent boutiques and designer shops, and each one was famed for its own innovative aesthetics such as Biba with its retro Art Nouveau influenced clothes.

60’s fashion scene in London
Source: YouTube

I've tried to channel the radical, playful and unique spirit of the Sixties in my next range of Nica handbags, so, they all have their own quirky twist. It's been one of my favourite sources of design inspiration. 

I hope you’ll love them as much as I do!

Love,

Nica Kim

X x x