Australian label Dylan Kain’s new capsule collection prioritises versatility and high-quality leather

“Alluring, sexy and strong.”

A classic black handbag is essential in any woman’s sartorial kit. It’s almost a guarantee you’ll own a black bag sometime in your life. There is an endless appeal about the timelessness of a black bag – but not all are made equal.

Australian luxury accessories label Dylan Kain has been crafting well-made and high-quality bags since 2010. Its newest collection is an extension of the label’s dedication to sleek and functional bags. Micro bags (and microscopic bags) have had their time in the sun, it’s now time for bags prioritising form and utility. 

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Dylan Kain’s After Dark SS23 collection features pieces balancing feminine and masculine qualities, blurring the lines between day and night. “After Dark started with leather as inspiration,” Bonnie Davis, co-founder and Director of Dylan Kain, tells me.

“We chose this super gorgeous, smooth, Italian leather that vibes really well against hardware… to create a collection that was alluring, sexy and strong. The silhouettes are curved to the body and designed to look just as good during the day, but even more magical after dark.”

The organic shapes spotlighted in the collection mirror the body; take the asymmetric silhouette of the Londyn Bag, or the softly curved Remi Shoulder Bag. Each piece of After Dark features Dylan Kain’s iconic hardware detailing, but many of the bags build on this through the use of studs. Bonnie points to Sienna Miller’s early style as a source of inspiration for this.

“Hardware has always been a signature element for us,” Bonnie explains. “Studs are starting to make an appearance on the runways in a big way, and we thought it was an elevated and cool finishing touch to the more modern, artful silhouettes in the collection.”

The contemporary bags are made to be worn with you, wherever you go. “A big philosophy at our studio is to design pieces that are notoriously quality, but are also super versatile,” Bonnie says. “I love having the one bag that is cool enough to work day or night (and you don’t have to change your things over all the time).”

There are endless ways to style the pieces, though Bonnie recommends a classic look of denim jeans, a simple white tank and sneakers during the day, and a “sexy black slip dress after dark”. It’s well known that leather gets better with age – that only rings more true when it comes to good leather.

Dylan Kain is constantly on the path of improving their sustainability practices. The small-batch, pre-order label sources more than 90 per cent of its leather from tanneries a part of the Leather Working Group. 

“We are looking at every area of our business to reduce our footprint. For our leather, we work with tanneries in Italy who produce the most beautiful leathers,” Bonnie says. “The Leather Working Group certifies leather manufacturing based on environmental performance in areas such as water, energy usage, air emissions and waste. We want to support those who are actively trying to do what they can to reduce their impact.”

Explore the collection here.