Minimalism. The latest trend that reaches out into many aspects of our life:
"Art, architecture, theatre & film belonging or relating to a style in art, design, and theatre that uses the smallest range of materials and colours possible, and only very simple shapes or forms." This is the definition of minimalist you can read in the Cambridge Dictionary.
Minimalist lifestyle extends into many aspects of our life
The year 2018 was the year of the minimalist lifestyle going mainstream and we could witness it in many areas of people's lives. From minimalist living in tiny houses, to owning only a minimum of things, and decluttering your appartment with Marie Kondo. Owning less has become fashionable and supports a more sustainable lifestyle, which in return saves the resources of our planet.
But the minimalist living trend goes hand in hand with the increased awareness of sustainable living. People are becoming more conscious of what they need and especially of what they don't need to lead a happy life. For too long we have been exposed to brands selling us the myth, that if we buy this bag, or this gadget, then we would be as happy as the models displayed on the ad. Thankfully people are slowly waking up. They stop to think before consuming more and more products that eventually just end up in the corner of their basement or as landfill.
And finally, a minimalist lifestyle allows us to reflect on the many possible reasons why we have bought things in the past that we never really wanted anyways. This investigation howeverr, can open up a whole new discussion about how we're filling the void within us.
The minimalist bag design: Less is more
As we strip our house of things we don't really need, the minimalist trend expands also to the way fashion goods are designed. Less is more, is what it's all about. The reason? When owning fewer accessories, we need to be able to combine these items with the majority of our clothes. Makes sense.
For bags and backpacks this means less decoration, less patterns and less colors. Bag designs are becoming more simplistic in style so we can mix and match them with all our outfits.
Travelers know how little they really need. Maybe forced to restrict themselves to the most important things, many of the long term travelers visiting our leather shops in Hoi An keep their lifestyle once setting down again (in Hoi An or elsewhere). If you ever experienced the freefrom of owning very little (voluntarily), you don't want to go back to filling up your apartment, nor your life.
Buy less - Invest in high quality
So bringing home one special high-quality item from your holidays in Hoi An, that you can wear or carry with a variety of clothes, would be a fantastic start to going more minimal. Investing in high quality that lasts a long time, as opposed to accumulating a whole lot of cheap items that you throw out after a few weeks is the way forward. That's a minimalist appraoch that not only your bank account benefits from, but also our planet.
Have a look below at our minimalist bags made fo 100% leather. Timeless in style, and robust in quality, for many years to come.
