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It feels like there’s a new It bag every week. Whether it’s a reissued one from a big House, like Dior’s Saddle Bag or Gucci’s Jackie, or Bottega Veneta’s slew of fresh, coveted bags and clutches, there’s no shortage of must-haves. And yet, I can’t help going back into the archives.
One of the bags I’ve fanned over the most is the Balenciaga Motorcycle bag (or the City bag), which was most popular in the early ’00s. While I have been heralding its comeback since 2019, it was fully embraced by industry people this past Fashion Week. Writer Taylore Scarabelli opted for a worn black iteration; stylist Marc Eram carried a tropical turquoise one on his arm; photographer Aidan Doyle slung a large black version across her body, stuffed with camera equipment; and fashion editor Nikki Ogunnaike was a beacon to street style photographers with a cherry red version. Its comeback is red hot.
There is also the Marc Jacobs Stam bag, which was named after model Jessica Stam and hit its peak in 2005 onward. With its quilted leather body, it is ladylike, but the hulking gold chain adds a hint of kitsch. The combination allows it to go from downtown to uptown. (It also feels very Gossip Girl.) Also in the mix is the sturdy, squishy, rectangular Chloé Paddington bag, the object of affection for naughties boho babes like Kate Bosworth; the Fendi Spybag, which is curved and cushy; and Proenza Schouler’s PS1, which was practically ubiquitous in the mid-2000s fashion circles. One of my favorites is the oh-so-’70s Yves Saint Laurent Mombasa bag, with its circular shape and horn handle.
These bags were less popular than the Louis Vuitton Murakami collection or a Fendi Baguette, which defined the era. And while the Vuittons and Fendis have skyrocketed in popularity and pricing, pieces from Chloé, Proenza Schouler, Balenciaga, and Marc Jacobs are still relatively affordable on resale websites while perpetually packing a stylish punch. A Chloé Paddington will only set you back $250, and a Marc Jacobs Stam bag hovers around $100 on sites like TheRealReal and Poshmark, while a Fendi Baguette can fetch over $1,400 and a Dior Saddlebag can near $1,000. The fact that these bags aren’t saturating the market makes them all the more covetable. They aren’t ubiquitous, which gives them a nostalgic, if-you-know-you-know factor that can unearth tender fashion memories.
Price aside, these bags represent a micro-moment in the industry that allows fashion lovers to reminisce. The other day I was speaking with David Moses, a vintage dealer, who said that he was once stopped in an airport because of his Mombasa bag. “TSA made a big deal about something they saw in my bag,” Moses told me. “It turns out it was the horn handle.” Bizarre, fab, and funny—it’s a story that could only happen with one of these less popular bags. The best thing? They still pack an extremely chic punch.
