In strictly chronological terms, it is the second oldest Louis Vuitton iconic daily bag, its birth date of 1932 placing it at the start of an exceptional decade that saw the creation of the Speedy, the Alma and the Keepall.
In spirit, however, Noé is as young as any bag around, still tinged with the carefree air of those newly liberated women who wore short skirts, shorter hair and carried it – just so – swinging from their shoulder.
The original Noé was crafted from natural leather, pale gold, and light as its exuberant ribbons of bubbles. Since then, Noé has appeared in many guises – most famously, of course, Louis Vuitton’s emblematic Monogram canvas, which by the 1960s could at last be made supple enough to do justice to the bag’s generous forms.
Today, Noé and its cousin Petit Noé can be found in a myriad incarnations, from Damier Azur to colourful Epi leather – each time different, yet still, somehow, the same.
But now there is a new Noé: Noé BB. Irresistibly cute, unmistakeably contemporary, a diminutive replica of the original which comes with its own innovation: an extra-long shoulder strap that enables it to be slung casually across the body. In Monogram or Damier Azur canvas and candy-bright Epi, Noé BB is just waiting to be discovered by a new generation.
In Singapore, Noe BB is launched in classic Monogram Canvas (S$1320), Damier Azur (S$1320) and Epi leather (S$1820) in a series of 5 vibrant mono-colours; Figue, Fuschia, Citron, Piment, Cyan.
Will it, one day, like its larger namesake, be handed down from mother to daughter, its distinctive drawstring symbolic of an enduring bond of elegance?
Images courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
