When Alaïa debuted its viral Le Teckel bag in 2023, fellow designers—not to mention, celebrities like Rihanna and Margot Robbie—began flocking to the distinct design in droves. Mere months later, the oblong purse had been duplicated by nearly every brand in the industry. Everyone, from Prada and Ferragamo to Khaite and Coach, began introducing elongated straps and East-West silhouettes to their own top-selling bag styles. But Alaïa, it seems, had a plan.
The brand waited until its trademark design had saturated the market completely before switching up its famous silhouette. While everyone else was busy drawing out their shoulder straps, the bag-makers at Alaïa were cutting theirs down. The ultimate bait and switch.
