Would You Buy A Designer Paper Bag For AED 2,000?

If so, London-based label Stefan Cooke has just the accessory for you

Posted on

18 March 2019

All Credits: PA

Sustainability is particularly fashionable right now, so it’s perhaps no surprise you can get a designer version of the humble paper bag.

Matches Fashion has started stocking a paper tote bag from Stefan Cooke. That’s right – the outside is entirely made of paper fibres, and has a distinctly meta feel to it with a leather-look bag printed onto the paper. It’s a bit of an upgrade from the normal paper bag, as the inside has a cotton lining and you can get a jazzy chainmail strap which clips onto the main bag – albeit for an extra £270/AED 1,317.

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Introducing @stefan_cooke, the LVMH Prize-nominated label offering something totally new on the accessories front. Designed to resemble disposable shopping bags, the label's tongue-in-cheek totes are made from biodegradable paper fibres and printed with photos of vintage handbags, some of which are available at #MATCHESFASHION. Shop now via the link in bio.

A post shared by MATCHESFASHION.COM Woman (@matchesfashion) on Mar 11, 2019 at 7:43am PDT

Matches describes the design as “tongue-in-cheek”, and says Stefan Cooke conceives “off-kilter pieces that reimagine familiar tropes through an avant-garde lens”.

Even though £405/AED 1,975 might seem a bit steep for something which looks like the bag you get when you buy something new at Zara, the reaction underneath the Matches Instagram post is positive. Comments include, “Love it!”, “This is amazing” and, “Wow… creative”.

The London-based brand is helmed by Stefan Cooke and his partner Jake Burt. Even though it’s not quite a household name, the label is garnering a lot of attention in the world of high fashion – in 2017 Cooke was awarded the prestigious L’Oréal Professionnel Creative Award.

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A post shared by @ stefan_cooke on Jan 29, 2019 at 1:48am PST

Dazed describes Cooke as: “The rising designer obsessed with boring clothes.” As you can see with the paper bag, he takes the mundane and ordinary and transforms it into designer fashion.

This isn’t the first time the duo has played around with what an ‘it bag’ should look like. In the past they’ve challenged preconceptions of accessories by designing a beautiful, classic bag which is entirely encased in a clear plastic tote.

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#stefancooke

A post shared by @ stefan_cooke on Mar 1, 2017 at 10:26am PST

However, Cooke and Burt could very well be onto a winner. Just think of the cult Balenciaga bag which went viral in 2017. It was a replica of IKEA’s iconic blue tote bag – but costing £1,705/AED 8,292 instead of 40p/AED 1.95.