ELLE Editors Swap Brown Suede for Olive Green Bags This Fall

Fashion editors are steering fall handbag picks toward olive green, moving off the brown suede that dominated bag coverage last season, according to ELLE's trend report on the shift.

What is replacing brown suede this fall?

ELLE's editors point to olive green as the color taking over where brown suede left off, framing it as the season's emerging must-have shade for handbags rather than a passing accent. The publication's coverage treats the change as a straightforward color swap at the top of seasonal want lists, not a full material or silhouette overhaul.

Why does a color shift matter for handbag shoppers?

Color calls from editors at outlets like ELLE tend to set the tone for what retailers stock and what shoppers search for in a given season. When a shade moves from background note to lead recommendation, it typically shows up first in editorial styling before appearing broadly on shelves. ELLE's framing of olive green as the fall pick follows that familiar pattern, positioning it as the successor to brown suede's run.

How does this fit with other fall bag trends?

The olive green call lands alongside broader fall handbag guidance already circulating this season. Haley's Handbags' roundup of nine fall 2023 trends emphasized first-impression details — shape, texture, hardware — as the season's organizing themes, giving color shifts like this one a structural context rather than treating them as standalone news. Separately, coverage on keeping small bags upright through structured design underscores that fall's bag conversation is running on two tracks at once: construction and color.

Timeline of the trend call

• Last season: Brown suede holds the lead spot in editor-recommended handbag colors.
• This fall: ELLE editors shift their pick to olive green, per the outlet's seasonal coverage.
• Ongoing: Structural trend pieces on shape and stability continue to run in parallel with color guidance.

What to watch

• Whether retailers follow editorial coverage with olive green restocks in coming weeks.
• Whether other fashion outlets echo ELLE's color call or highlight a different shade.
• Whether olive green appears paired with the structured-bag silhouettes already flagged in fall trend roundups.

Glossary

• Suede: A napped leather finish, buffed for a soft, matte texture; brown suede was last season's dominant handbag color per ELLE's prior coverage.
• Olive green: A muted, brownish-green shade positioned by ELLE as this fall's replacement lead color for handbags.
• Trend call: An editorial recommendation from a fashion outlet signaling which colors, shapes, or materials are expected to dominate a season's coverage.

ELLE's report does not specify pricing, retailer names, or specific bag models tied to the olive green call, and this article does not add details beyond what the outlet's coverage states.