Aupen has never needed dozens of new bags to keep celebrities interested. While some designers trot out slightly modified styles every few months (or weeks)—with color, logo, and clasp adjustments that are barely perceptible to the naked eye—Aupen's single "Nirvana" bag has steadily appeared in wardrobes from Taylor Swift to Charli XCX to Beyoncé since debuting in November 2022. The braided handle and asymmetric compartment are the only things Grammy nominees with warring personal styles and personalities can seem to agree on. Anyone, whether they lean toward preppy trench coats or "club classic" faux furs and crop tops, can carry Aupen's bag.
As much as they love the soft leather and gold charm detail, all those girls might come to agree on another point soon. They could use some extra variety beyond what founder Nicholas Tan cheekily called the "Taylor bag." So meeting with me over breakfast in Paris last November, Tan revealed what legions of It girls can discover for their wardrobes today: Aupen's new bag silhouette, aptly named the "Renaissance."
The new style looks like the Nirvana bag's grown-up sibling—even if it was created a few years later. While the Nirvana is compact for party girls to carry out at night, the Renaissance has the proportions and aura of a daytime style. (Particularly, for ladies who get photographed lunching at Balthazar or the Odeon.) It has a larger compartment and a smooth, exaggerated top handle, with an asymmetrically curved top. A sleek gold bar arcs beneath the handle. It arrives in four shades of creamy leather—black, white, saddle brown, and blue—and is now available on request through the label's website.
At a first glance, I could immediately envision the Renaissance bag making the morning talk show rounds with an Anya Taylor-Joy or Selena Gomez. What I couldn't see—and had to learn through speaking with Tan—was how the craftsmanship had leveled up along with the design.
The Renaissance name isn't an accident; it's a nod to how Aupen has grown and evolved since its signature bag became a paparazzi staple. The label has entered a partnership with luxury conglomerate LVMH's Métiers d’Art, to produce its bag charms in a workshop employed by the likes of Schiaparelli and Saint Laurent. Its leather is now sourced and assembled via Tanneries Roux, the oldest tannery in France.
"We're really elevating the quality and the craftsmanship that our team has focused on," Tan says. "That's what has driven our repeat customers to keep coming back." It's not just that celebrities love how the bags look; it's that they stand up to real life.
The underlying design ethos hasn't changed from old bag to new bag. While Aupen wants to dress modern, elegant women, there's not a specific person on the brand's mood board. (Not even the woman for whom Renaissance is now shorthand: Beyoncé.) "We envision them as sculptures sitting on a table, and then we make them into bags," Tan says.
Between the array of colors and the versatile shape, there's little doubt the Renaissance will make it back to Bey—and probably to Taylor, Charli, and Olivia Rodrigo, too.
"We are so happy that the celebrities truly love and use our products in their daily lives, and I think that really is a testament to our brand," Tan says. If that many women can unite around Aupen's styles, who are we to disagree?
