Crossbody bags speak the language of liberty, and Vivienne Westwood translates it with a cut-glass accent. The current collection counts thirty designs, ranging from postcard-sized phone pouches to capacious bucket styles. Each one is stitched with that unmistakable air of aristocratic defiance that has long been the house’s calling card.

Slip the strap across the body and suddenly both hands are free. Free for flutes of Champagne, for whispered secrets in smoky corners, for a stolen motorbike ride or a scandalous midnight dash. Prices begin in the low three hundreds and ascend into the four-figure realm. This is a sliding scale that allows every rebel to choose her level of mischief.

Fabrics include glossy leathers and tartan-printed coated canvas, with highlights in metallic foil and quilted satin that gleam like stage lights in a West End production. Some bags are adorned with elaborate embroidery or appliqué, adding texture and storytelling. Others let the silhouette do the talking, confident in their quiet magnetism. The result is portable theatre that never needs an interval. It is fashion that enters the room before you do and refuses to leave unnoticed.

For the modern woman, Westwood’s crossbody offerings serve not only as accessories, but as talismans. These are objects that carry meaning, provoke commentary and invite rebellion. Whether paired with a sharply tailored coat or slouched beside ripped denim, they offer a visual wink to those who recognise the subversive codes beneath the surface.

The Heart Shapes the Agenda

Few fashion houses can turn a single motif into a full-blown manifesto quite as deftly as Westwood. The heart, introduced in the 1980s, has only grown louder over time. Today, it takes centre stage in collections like Josephine and Louise. These designs feature curving silhouettes that blend the sweetness of Valentine with the sharpened edge of vendetta.

This season’s Josephine Heart arrives in Westwood’s signature Chelsea tartan, backed with a Union Jack lining that harks back to the brand’s iconic 2002 Anglophilia runway show. The dimensions sit around twenty by twenty-three centimetres. Just enough room for your phone, a powder compact, a lipstick, a mini diary and a few receipts from nights that haven’t been written yet.

The bag’s detachable chain transforms it from crossbody to clutch in a single fluid movement. Carry it at the shoulder to imply decorum. Swing it by the hand to suggest mischief. Either way, people will assume you have broken at least one rule before breakfast and have every intention of doing so again by dinner.

What makes the heart shape endure is not its sentimentality but its versatility. On Westwood’s bags, it becomes a heraldic emblem, an armour plate for modern heroines. It is feminine without submission, romantic without cliché. A visual contradiction that refuses to be simplified.

Orbital Behaviour

No Westwood story is complete without the Orb, a miniature coronet launched headfirst into the cosmos. It first appeared in the late 1980s and remains an essential signature. On crossbody bags, the Orb arrives either as a sculptural plaque embedded into the leather or as shimmering metal hardware, engineered to catch every camera flash from London to Tokyo.

The Rosie Circle Frame, for instance, wears its Orb like a silver medal for glorious rebellion. Below it, pleated leather fans outward to form a rounded silhouette, pillowy and theatrical. The vintage-style kiss lock offers a satisfying snap, like closing the final page of a very stylish secret. Measuring twenty-one centimetres tall, the bag is perfectly proportioned for both daily dramas and gala surprises. It feels like carrying a plush little planet, complete with its own gravitational pull.

Inside, the story continues. A printed Baby Orb lining reveals that even the parts no one sees are dressed for the occasion. Details like tonal stitching, a discreet slip pocket, and cotton lining ensure utility never compromises spectacle. Practicality is present, but it always plays a supporting role to aesthetic bravado.

Styling the Scandal

A Westwood crossbody is wardrobe royal treasure. It is the finishing touch that turns a smart look into a narrative. Sling the Louise Heart across a crisp white shirtdress and the ensemble instantly swerves from boardroom to tabloid feature. A Rosie Circle in distressed metallic leather brings voltage to jeans and a tailored blazer, turning a corner-shop run into a red-carpet rehearsal.

For evening, choose the slim Sapphire envelope in high-shine patent. Let it peek from beneath a structured tuxedo sleeve and observe as doormen suddenly forget their clipboard rules. This is the magic of Westwood: the mix of high formality with punk irreverence, like a duchess riding a motorbike through Soho at midnight.

The contradiction is the message. Think structured tailoring paired with a heart-shaped bag. Think floor-length satin interrupted by tartan-trimmed canvas. Layer two bags if your mood demands drama. Pair a miniature Phone Bag for essentials with a Jackson bucket slung lower across the hip for theatre. The strap in each case slices a clean diagonal across the torso, an intentional line that says you have no interest in staying within the boundaries.

The crossbody design may have begun in courier culture, built for bikes and urgency. But in Westwood’s hands, it becomes a proclamation. You are hands free, unapologetic, and already planning a detour. Fasten the clasp. Adjust the chain. Step out. The night will take care of the rest.

Travis Grant