Designer Bobby Cabbagesta talks Los Angeles style and bag culture

A pouch can be an appendage. A hiding place for secrets. An extension of oneself. It is, in its purest form, a deeply personal totem. When I look at Acne Studios' riveted wine box bag from the brand's spring/summer '24 collection (more of a rectangular case than a purse, covered entirely in studs), I think of the 16-year-old wannabe goth baby who there is in me that still rules when it comes to my personal style, or the 21-year-old techno fairy that relentlessly dictates the overall vibe. No matter how much time has passed, or how much these ghosts have become more covert or refined, they will always come to the surface when I choose an outfit. The visual codes of subversion are best expressed in the details: a studded belt, a studded choker, a studded bag. Studs are like a codex for the alternative: unmistakable messages that turn any chill into a statement.

The shape of this particular bag, styled on the runway in a streamlined all-black ensemble and minimal accessories, evokes a toolbox. The type of tools it contains is left up to interpretation and depends on the user and the destination of it. The thing about a bag: it travels with you and quickly becomes part of yourself, of the trip. The Rivet Wine Bag, with its structural nature and plenty of storage space, feels durable enough to withstand a long day in Los Angeles and is light enough to not drag down. A t-shirt changes daily, but many times the bag remains the same. We are the ones who customize it. Even a piece as distinctive as the SS24 riveted wine bag becomes something completely different when worn by different personalities, similar to how no perfume smells the same on two different people.

We asked designer Bobby Cabbagestalk, among three other artists, DJs, musicians and stylists, to incorporate the Acne Studios Rivet Wine Bag into their look and lifestyle for a day, imagining places across the city where they would use it. He chose to bring the bag to Ragfinders of California, a world unto itself constructed entirely of fabric, as he juxtaposed it with pieces from his own collection made from natural materials, allowing the bag to literally shine. “It's his own moment,” he says.

Who are you and what do you do?

I am a designer. My label is Bobby Cabbagestalk and it has the same name. The clothes I try to make are the future of what I think a standard garment could and should be. I try to design as if I'm in the future, not as if I'm trying to imagine what the future is about. When you work backwards from there, you have many different considerations where social and political perspectives impact how you approach your creative projects. When I set out to make a dress, jacket or t-shirt, I always have that standard in the back of my mind.

Describe your personal style.

I grew up in Buffalo, New York and like most kids. [in the 2000s], all my influences came from rap. Ghostface Killah and Raekwon wearing baggy Tommy Hilfiger from head to toe, that was the standard. It was this colorful, confident, exaggerated silhouette to let the world know, “I'm here and this is my personal perspective.” As a child, he was obsessed with Polo Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Eddie Bauer and any heritage brand he could get his hands on. Taking that East Coast preparation heritage [and] Streetwear in my love of sci-fi movies created a new entry point for me and my self-expression. So leathers, more personalized silhouettes, minimalism with functionality come together in this idea of ​​”cyber-readiness.”

Talk to me about coming up with an outfit around this Acne Studios bag.

The Acne bag has studs, making it very architectural. It has a brutalist undertone with a chrome patina, so it blends very naturally with any background: urban, rural, whatever. It's its own moment. What he wanted to do was stay in that conversation and just juxtapose the metal material with natural fabrics: a cotton shirt, a leather jacket, leather pants. Then, the trench coat is three-quarter length and creates a nice A-line shape, so it's its own architectural moment as well.

How does the sense of place influence the sense of style? How do you travel around Los Angeles with style in mind?

Many times we don't think of Los Angeles as a commuter city because we are in our cars, not on our feet. (It's not like you're in New York and going from building to building on foot or by train.) Still, I feel like there's a new excitement to traveling on foot in Los Angeles. Maybe it's because it's warmer, I see more and more people being expressive with what they wear on the street. I also think Los Angeles is a city of events. Before people leave home, they know exactly where they are going and how much time they will spend there. I don't like going out aimlessly. I like to go to a gallery opening, or if there's a specific DJ I'd like to see. And if I want to travel light, I'll just have a shoulder bag or use a pocket. If I want to carry a camera, or if I know I'm going to be very sociable and be on my feet for a long time, that will determine what carrying system I have, maybe with a larger bag or a carry-on bag. I think personal style is more important now than ever, because there is room for people to express their perspective, not only about themselves but also about the world and how they are observed in an authentic way. And before social media, you could tell where someone was from based on what they were wearing. I think it's really exciting if [go] Let's get back to the things that make us unique and who we are.

Producer: Mere studies