When it comes to occasional handbags, the miniaudiere is about as classic as they come. Their small, jewellery-like appearance is meant to be both practical and covetable; a combination that is a sure bet among the fashion set.
The miniaudiere got its start at the hands of the legendary jewelry, watch, and perfume company Van Cleef & Arpels. Although Van Cleef & Arpels was actually founded in 1896, the miniaudiere didn’t actually come into the picture until 1934. It is said that the design of the miniaudiere was originally inspired by a woman called Florence Gould, the wife of a popular Philanthropist of the times. Gould was spotted by Arpels as she tossed her loose cosmetics into a small tin box, and the rest as they say, is history.
Design wise, one can see the origin of Arpels’ inspiration in the classic boxlike design of the miniaudiere. Generally-speaking, the classic miniaudiere is made of a very rigid material like metal or resin, is small enough to be held in one hand, yet large enough to hold the basics a lady might require for a night out: a lipstick, compact, and money or a credit card.
The exterior of the miniaudiere is where the magic happens. As Charles Arpels once did before them, modern handbag designers still treat the exterior of the miniaudiere almost as a jewelry piece; a blank canvas for limitless possibilities. From simple, satin-covered boxes to full-blown 18 karat and gemstone confections, if you can dream it up, chances are there is a designer who can (or probably already has) made it.
