An organic body that unfolds behind a rigid flap: the exceptional design of the CY shoulder bag was inspired by the sculpture Cycnus – a palm leaf that fans out around a single point to create a volume.
The artwork, created by the American artist Cy Twombly in 1979, formed the initial point for the design of CY, picking up on the shape of the delicate palm leaf of Cycnus, and transferring it into a semicircular bag body which contrasts with a rectangular flap – just like Twombly set the cuboid base of the sculpture in contrast to the fanned-out leaf.
Living in Rome for most of his life, Twombly is considered one of the most important protagonists of Abstract Expressionism, including elements not only of contemporary graffiti but also of Greek and Roman mythology in his work.
Cy Twombly, Cycnus, 1978
Artwork © Cy Twombly Foundation
