“No one has had a sexy it-bag since the early aughts,” says Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED2. “And this one oozes ‘got to have it.’” The twinning fashion designers’ new Gothic Belt Bag takes a stab at filling the coveted it-bag slot, inspired by oversized metal belt buckles worn on rock legends’ waists. First debuted in two sizes for Fall 2023, the bag returned for Spring 2024 and after for Fall 2024 with new colors, materials, and with a new mini size. Hand-enameled buckles with “DSQUARED2,” textured leather, studs and eyelets round out the gothic rock references.
Below, PAPER talked to DSQUARED2 about everything from their favorite goths to "the wonderful dichotomy of ugly hot."
Who is your ultimate gothic icon?
Elvira is the queen of sexy goth, which is our favorite type of goth. The hair, the lips, the slit — it’s divine.
Did either of you ever dabble with a gothic phase of your own?
A true gothic foray may have felt extreme, but we’ve always been obsessed with subcultures and wonderfully weird fringes of music and fashion and nightlife.
I saw so many goths at Coachella this year. Why do you think the gothic style is having such a moment?
It’s the wonderful dichotomy of ugly hot. Everyone is evolving out of cookie cutter fashion like beautiful butterflies from ugly cocoons. We love how expressive fashion is becoming again because we’ve always been at the forefront of that.
Where, in your mind, is the best place or occasion to wear these bags?
Everywhere! You can’t be selectively gothic, you have to go for it whenever the fancy strikes.
How should the bags be styled?
With a mini skirt, baby tee and every accessory you own stacked up the arms. We have a shoulder model that can be worn for daily looks, a clutch one for the night and we will also introduce a new mini Gothic Belt Bag for Fall Winter 2024. We have such fun playing with fashion, and in the end what we love the most is to see our customers do the same.
Did you have a particular muse in mind when designing these bags?
No, not specifically — but for sure, some fictional iconic characters like Lydia Deetz, Wednesday Addams and Edward Scissorhands would go crazy having it.
What makes the ultimate it-bag?
It has to be exactly what people are looking for without ever even knowing they needed it. No one has had a sexy it-bag since the early aughts and this one oozes "got to have it."
Photos courtesy of DSQUARED2
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