How the Balenciaga City Bag Became Every It Girl’s Must-Have Accessory

Date:

Share post:


Few It bags better define an era than the Balenciaga Motorcycle. Introduced during the fall/winter 2001 show, toward the beginning of creative director Nicolas Ghesquière’s 15-year run at the hallowed fashion house, the Motorcycle soon became a fixture on the arm of every starlet and celebutante.

As ubiquitous as low-slung jeans and Uggs, the slouchy tote, with its signature lariats, zippers, and rugged hardware, was an oft-photographed red carpet and music-festival staple—carried by everyone from Hilary Duff and Sienna Miller to Nicole Richie and the Hilton sisters. The decade’s much-copied fashion plate du jour, Mary-Kate Olsen, famously sported a minty green version that was as much a part of her fabulously disheveled mien as her oversize sweaters. (Like Richie, who owned a Motorcycle in a range of bubble gum colors, Olsen would go on to acquire a veritable collection of the carryalls.)

For all its high-profile visibility, the Motorcycle almost didn’t come to be. When it was first shown as a prototype on the runway, Balenciaga bigwigs were reluctant to put the unstructured, logo-less model into production. They feared it was out of step with the era’s strict, status-conscious offerings such as the Fendi Baguette and the Dior Saddle. But the history of fashion is filled with serendipitous Sliding Doors moments. Kate Moss asked Ghesquière for one after the show, and when the brass got wind that the trendsetting model approved, they decided to commit. (It didn’t hurt that the rest of the prototypes were gifted to other fashion influencers of the time, such as the power stylists and editors Carine Roitfeld, Emmanuelle Alt, and Marie-Amélie Sauvé.)

Lindsay Lohan, Kate Moss, and Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen.

The Motorcycle was eventually renamed the City, and has been tweaked and released under different guises, notably as the streamlined Le Cagole in 2021. Now, as references from the noughties dominate the fashion dialogue—even Richie and Paris Hilton are enjoying another pop culture moment—the bag has again been reissued, this time as the Frenchified Le City. The new version remains faithful to the original: The biker-chick menace is still writ large in every stitch, and like a Perfecto motorcycle jacket, the supple lambskin leather only gets better with age. The lariats and studded hardware are still there, and there are different sizes and a kaleidoscope of colors on offer. One feature, however, is noticeably absent: The miniature mirror that used to hang from the top of the bag has gone the way of trucker hats. In its place are a host of customization options, including new key rings and charms.

Kim Kardashian and Lucy Liu.

wm202403bale02

Not surprisingly, celebrities are once again contributing to the bag’s popularity. Superstars including Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Kim Kardashian, as well as newcomers like Rachel Sennott, Devon Lee Carlson, and Joey King, have all recently been photographed toting Le City. And a new advertising campaign features Nicole Kidman, Amelia Gray, Kit Butler, and the bag’s fairy godmother, Kate Moss. Talk about cult status…

Collage credits, clockwise from top left: Kate Moss, Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images; Sarah Jessica Parker, Ray Tamarra/Getty Images; Lucy Liu, PA IMAGES/Alamy; LeAnn Rimes, Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage; Paris & Nicky Hilton, Gregorio Binuya/Everett Collection; Gisele Bundchen, WENN Rights Ltd.; Nicole Richie, Shutterstock; Ashley & Mary-Kate Olsen, M. Von Holden/FilmMagic; Cameron Diaz, James Devaney/WireImage; Emma Roberts, Jason Merritt/FilmMagic; Jessica Alba, Chris Polk/FilmMagic; Ashley Tisdale, WENN Rights Ltd.; Emma Bunton aka Baby Spice, C. Uncle/FilmMagic; Heidi Montag, Michael Bezjian/WireImage; Kourtney Kardashian, Ray Tamarra/Getty Images; Hilary Duff, Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic; Lindsay Lohan, Mark Mainz/Getty Images; Vanessa Hudgens, Jeff Vespa; Kim Kardashian, Larry Marano/Getty Images; Sienna Miller, Jamie Tregidgo/WireImage; Lauren Conrad, Alo Ceballos/FilmMagic. Center: Courtesy of Balenciaga.



Source link

Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams
Alexandra Williams is a writer and editor. Angeles. She writes about politics, art, and culture for LinkDaddy News.

Recent posts

Related articles

Roberto Cavalli’s Supermodel Muses Unite for a Bittersweet Milan Fashion Week Show

It was a bittersweet afternoon in Milan today as Roberto Cavalli designer Fausto Puglisi presented the Italian...

Ariana Grande's Pink Fairy Dress Was Conjured Straight From The NYFW Runway

The spring 2025 season still has plenty of shows to get to in Milan and Paris but...

The 8 Best Beauty Trends From the Spring 2025 Runways

On the spring 2025 runways, brand-new hair and makeup trends have already taken hold. Natural, luminous skin...

Lily Collins Puts a Risqué On a Fashion Classic In a Bra-Baring LBD

Lily Collins’s little black dresses are mixing business with pleasure. Last night in Manhattan, the actress spiced...

Bong Joon-ho's Robert Pattinson-Starring 'Mickey 17': Trailer, Cast, Plot, Release Date

After making history with Parasite, director Bong Joon-ho’s has teamed up with current reigning Batman Robert Pattinson...

Princess Kate Middleton Returns to Some Royal Duties Following Chemotherapy Treatment

Kate Middleton has officially returned to Royal duties following the conclusion of her cancer treatment. On September...

Inside Chanel’s Women’s Filmmaker Lunch With Olivia Wilde & More Stars

On September 17, Chanel-adorned stars congregated at Locanda Verde in Tribeca to celebrate the women filmmakers of...

Kaia Gerber's Sheer Lace Top Brings the Boho Chic Trend to the Book Club

Judging by Kaia Gerber’s latest outfit, she’s not only leading the charge of the book club revival,...