David Bailey’s Latest Muse: a Tod’s Handbag

The prolific photographer David Bailey, known for capturing the likes of the Beatles and Andy Warhol in the ’60s, turned his lens recently to an inanimate subject: the classic leather Tod’s Cape Bag. “Tod’s asked me to imagine the bag in whatever way I wanted,” says Bailey, whose summer photo exhibition, “Stardust,” was sponsored by the Italian house. “For the first time in my career, a bag is the lead character in my work. It’s not a fashion shoot, and it’s not editorial. It’s really a portrait.” Above is an exclusive first look at one of Bailey’s images, which he says “show a woman’s intimate and profound connection with this very special object.” The rest will debut online at tods.com beginning Aug. 31.