Telfar wins Design Museum prize for its cult handbag
It is without question one of the most cult accessories to have emerged in recent years and now, the Telfar shopping bag doesn't just boast a legion of A-list fans, but has also won itself a prestigious design award.
The US, Black-owned label's affordable designer handbag – a vegan-leather, gender-neutral shopping tote (which costs just over £100 for the smallest style) – has won the Fashion Design of 2020 award from London's Design Museum.
The brand has been credited with challenging the status quo in luxury fashion, reverting the idea that these designs have to be out-of-reach and simply aspirational for most people, by creating high-quality designer products at an affordable price point.
"In an era where true luxury is having a functioning health and social security system, I think their slogan – ‘Not for you, for everyone’ – rings very true," Emily King, guest curator at the Design Museum said about the brand's win.
The label, which was founded by Telfar Clemens and Babak Radboy in 2005, has also been praised for its impact on Black fashion, not just with its popular handbags, but also with a line of durags which it released in 2020 in an effort to fight against Black-hair discrimination.
"[They] magnify the importance of Black style," author Carol Tulloch told The Guardian. "Telfar Clemens believes in ‘living your fashion life’ – that is, being who you are on a day-to-day basis."
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