AnOther Loves: A Bag with Distinct Architecture

Cigale’, the French translation of cicada, is how Christian Dior christened a monumental edifice of mercury-grey moiré from his Autumn/Winter 1952 collection. Now, an inspired Jonathan Anderson reimagines that as a bag for today

Calling a dress ‘Froghopper’ doesn’t have quite the same ring as ‘Cigale’, the French translation of cicada, which is how Christian Dior christened a monumental edifice of mercury-grey moiré from his Autumn/Winter 1952 collection. A weighty number of a dress – it can basically stand up under its own considerable ballast – its architectonic jutting hips and razored graphic form are contradicted by a dinkily sweet ribbon bow knotted at the waist, an iron fist in a silken glove. It’s a gown that has fascinated the house’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, for years. So much so, he translated its cut to a pair of chino shorts – Abercrombie, meet Avedon – and has transposed its distinct architecture in a Dior handbag under the same name. In leather, the oblique seams of the original become stitching details, while an abstraction of that bow knots and animates the surface. Meanwhile, the practical ‘O’ of the eyelet hardware becomes an outsize vowel, helping spell out ‘Dior’ in glistening gold – fitting, as the ever-understated Jean Cocteau commented the couturier’s name was composed of that word, and God (Dieu/Or). Useful, just in case there were any doubts as to this accessory’s notable antecedents, or authorship. 

The Dior Cigalle bag is available to buy now.