Posed in front of the unmistakeable New York city skyline and in a studio with dried roses, the eerily beautiful model, Georgia Fowler, smoulders for Contessa Mills with a bag that took the world as its muse and became a circle. These are the first two bags the brand is launching, after debuting their first collection at the famous Hotel Chelsea, the past home of Bob Dylan, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe, in New York.
The shoot and press release easily bring up images of Eyes Wide Shut and the richest in society’s interest in the occult. Her designs (and A-list model) exude luxury. When someone can have anything, it seems almost logical to turn to spiritual encounters that make one feel. It’s been reported by a top magician too, that wonderment, beyond the transactional, something money can’t buy, is what the 1% craves. Contessa Mills’ bags put shape to this obsession of some American elites.
The World Bag springboards off her Autumn / Winter 2024 debut collection titled The World: 01 after the tarot card that would have potentially featured in readings provided at her debut show. Garments from the collection are naturally styled with the new bags in the shoot. Contessa Mills’ purse offering might make a nod to the coveted circular Maison Margiela bag and aligns with the fresh semi-circular bag silhouette seen at Acne too. The Word Bag by Contessa Mills is highly contemporary and sculptural, made from quality Italian cowhide embossed to look like snake, with a pig leather lining. These special functional art objects are all made in a limited run.
On the collaboration with Georgia Fowler, the designer imparts, “Georgia Fowler was a natural fit for Contessa Mills because she embodies the qualities central to the brand: confidence, sophistication, and individuality. I had admired her work for years, as her timeless elegance and modern edge align perfectly with the ethos of Contessa Mills. When planning the campaign, she came to mind immediately as the ideal representation of the women I design for — chic, driven, and empowered by fashion. Reaching out to her felt like a seamless extension of the brand’s vision, and I was thrilled when she joined the project.” Attracting a super who’s been on the cover of L’Officiel multiple times is a pretty impressive feat for such a fledgling brand. Fowler’s confidence in The World speaks to its high-end positioning. Contessa, after all, is the Italian word for a countess.
Breaking with some traditions though, the designer shared, “Although I didn't have a traditional fashion education by attending design school, I’ve always known I wanted to be a fashion designer.” Locating the roots of the joy fashion brings, “My love for fashion began in childhood, where I would constantly experiment with clothing — cutting up pieces, creating my own looks, and expressing myself through what I wore.” She concludes that the gap Contessa Mills aims to fill is something between minimalism and maximalism, so wearers don’t feel “overly dressed up”. We can’t wait to see what’s next from this new kid on the block.
