As fashion plays musical chairs in the upper echelons, plenty of nostalgia has been surging through the streets. Perhaps induced as a secondary effect to the mass upheavals, there’s been a tangible sense of longing for the familiar; think everything-millennial being a sartorial hit once again. The top designers too—as they shift into new roles and leave old ones behind—have been diving into the archives and breaking down house codes (to build them back up again). We’ve already seen it with Alessandro Michele’s lush, romantic ideals at Valentino so far, the way in which Haider Ackermann flirted with the essence of Tom Ford earlier this year, and the dizzying want that came with Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior men’s.
In a recent interview with Vogue, Sarah Burton surmises that the fashion industry is returning to a moment where people are searching for clothes and things that make them dream, a sentiment also shared by Ackermann earlier in the year. This could mean a well-made pair of pants; a beautifully-cut gown to treasure forever; or in the eyes of some of our favourite designers, a contemporary update to items of nostalgia—like a bag that already works wonders, and just needs a little refresh.
Indeed, it is the bag department that has been stealing the spotlight for fashion’s seasons past, as creative directors of top houses have been bringing back a certain frenzy for the It bags of the 2010s. Earlier this year, Chemena Kamali sent out the iconic Paddington on Chloé’s fall/winter 2025 runway, a sign of its imminent return 20 years after it was first designed by Phoebe Philo for the house. Then came Michael Rider’s off-season debut at Celine—daring to venture the prospect of the Phantom Luggage’s bag return, with his New Luggage bag.
At no one’s behest, it’s clear the industry’s nostalgia has arrived at a fever pitch, all for the bags of yesteryear. Here’s a look at the designer bags that have been enjoying a renaissance as of late.
1 / 5
The Chloé Paddington
Chemena Kamali knows what the girls want. It was right about time to fuel it back to the aughts movement, and there’s been one clear culprit ever since it was first teased on the fall/winter 2025 runway. Behold, the It girl coded Chloé Paddington. First designed by Phoebe Philo, the hype surrounding the bag dripped with want. It was the bag every girl wanted, but not every girl could own. Rare, but real, the padlock-adorned leather bag came with that slouchy aspect that was popular then, and was also seen on all the celebrity names. As for who has already been seen with this reissue? To name, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Rachel Sennott and Seulgi of Red Velvet are just some of the few.
2 / 5
The Balenciaga Le City
It’s slouchy, it’s biker-chic, and it wears its wear well. In 2001, then-designer Nicolas Ghesquière sent the Balenciaga Motorcycle bag down the runway, but it was only till Kate Moss was seen toting it around that it really became the It bag of the season, seen on the arms of Nicole Richie, Sienna Miller and Mary Kate Olsen. To fuel its nostalgia, the bag—since then renamed as the City—has never really left our consciousness, and was indeed brought back in a big way with a campaign fronted by Nicole Kidman, Amelia Gray and Moss herself. Yet it’s really the bag—with its leather zipper pulls, distinctive hardware and supple leather that grows even better with time—that holds timeless appeal.
3 / 5
The Celine Luggage
Old Céline, we meet again. Phoebe Philo certainly had a knack for knowing what makes us tick—considering the repertoire of It bags designed by her. First introduced in 2010, the cult Phantom Luggage, once an iconic design to its older sister, the Luggage bag, has re-entered the chat alongside Michael Rider’s debut at Céline. With his propositions for spring, Rider—who had worked under Philo during her tenure at Céline—has introduced the New Luggage, which sees the bag adapted in contemporary attitudes, like an oversized, east-west shape as well as a unique ‘smiling’ zipper. And it’s already making its rounds amongst the celebrity crowd, with Julia Roberts, A$AP Rocky, Park Bogum as well as V of BTS already seen making the bag their own.
4 / 5
The Coach Kisslock
If there’s one thing Stuart Vevers knows to do, it’s how to launch a covetable bag into the market instantly, and a good bag at that. At the turning point of 2024, Bella Hadid made the Brooklyn popular. Then, the spring 2025 runway came and went, and the Kisslock—with its vintage metallic clasp closure—sprung the fashion set into motion. Based on the “Cashin Carry” from 1969, an archival style which Bonnie Cashin (the brand’s first lead designer) had designed back then, a spacious caryall went down the runway and the bag cemented its It-status with Carrie Bradshaw carrying it around in Season 3 of And Just Like That. The bag style continues the playful streak too, from teddy bear iterations, to newly-shown designs like the rounded pouches or barrel bag options we saw at its recent spring/summer 2026 show.
5 / 5
The Fendi Spy
I spy with my little eye…you already know it. The Fendi Spy bag—designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi in ’05—makes its return on the arms of all the It girls, both old and new. With its unique swaddle carryall shape—the sort you could hug close—signature twisted handles and IYKYK allure, its precisely the sort of bag that is bringing back the Y2K essence again. Leave it to its original designer to also adapt the bag for a modern audience, with a smaller size and hidden pocket in its flap. The celebrity list also comes stacked, with Lindsay Lohan, Amelia Gray, Yuqi of I-dle and Mina of Twice all seen with the bag.
