Season of Small

Time for a fashion update. Drop that clutch and reach out for a miniaudiere this summer

Aishwarya Rai is always holding on to it,Gauri Khan seems to have one in every colour,Sonam Kapoor has an enviable range and closer home,style divas can’t wait to get their hands on one of their own. Ladies,it’s time you stopped ‘clutching’ around on formal dos for the miniaudiere has arrived. Ok,before you do a “mini what?”,we’ll jump straight to the explanation. For all those who were inquisitive about all things stylish ever since they sported pig tails then this should come easy. Most of our mothers have probably owned one,so chances are you have spotted it before – a box-like purse with frames that most often than not sports sequins,beads,coloured crystals to Swarovski. Made famous more recently by the American luxury handbag brand Judith Leiber (JL),a miniaudiere is – as it sounds – mini and small enough to hold in your palm. “It’s small but large enough to pack in a phone and quick make-up essentials,” admits model Natasha Sabharwal who recently gifted herself her a perfect birthday present – a Louis Vuitton monogram miniaudiere in the season’s ‘it’ colour,purple. “I had been eyeing one for a while now,” shares Sabharwal who first spotted Aishwarya Rai holding one in a glossy magazine. “I have always loved indulging in party bags but a mini is something I couldn’t resist,” the model avers. More recently,we spotted Aishwarya holding on to a silver one at a birthday bash where she teamed it with an all-black dress.

For the city’s fashion frat,the miniaudiere trend arrived with the Marigold trunk show held last summer. Since then Judith Leiber has been the talk of the town. “The trunk show did really well and most of us were aware of the brand but got to see a wider range,” feels socialite Divya Dhanda who has a JL of her own. While price-wise,a JL requires you have a fat wallet,there are more pocket-friendly options to choose from. At the designer one-stop shop Samsaara at the Taj we spotted versions of the miniaudiere by designers like Pinky V Shroff and Radhika Gupta. “The bejewelled look is in for sure. Miniaudieres,unlike clutches,are more dressy and go well with all outfits – Indian or western,” Divya of Samsaara pitches in with more info. Interestingly,party bags have over the last couple of seasons undergone a complete change. We started with the potli and then the batua to then the clutch and to now the miniaudiere. “Accessories are now as important as the ensemble you sport and the last couple of years bags have taken prominence,” admits designer Rina Dhaka who advises investing in neutral shades such as gold,silver and black. Bag that!