Are designers trying to make the IT bag happen again?
Anonymous handbags for 2025: studded handbag / studded bucket bag in black / suede and leather bucket bag /
It is no secret that the one and only IT bag of the moment is no longer a thing. In present day, the IT bag of the moment is more of a style, silhouette and vibe. We are no longer pressured into carrying the one and only IT bag of the moment, from the only brand of the moment, while shunning everything else on the market. That era was so exhausting.
What is currently hot on the streets is the anonymous handbag, as well as styles which include the hobo handbag, slouchy bucket bags, belted satchels, moon shaped bags, mini shoulder bags, suede, and neutral hues. But is this enough for designers who have grown accustomed to trying to make the next IT bag happen? Sorry guys, not really sure it’s going to happen.
In the past few years, there has been a series of unfortunate events, so to speak. There have been a handful of scandalous advertising campaigns and unsavory behavior by designers or creative directors at a slim sampling of design houses. There have also been manufacturing and pricing scandals which have painted many high-end designers in an unfavorable light. In addition to this, consumers have grown tired of always chasing the next big IT bag. There has been a conscious move towards less consumption, and products with lasting power. How much lasting power does an IT bag have? Well, in some circles, one season at best.
This isn’t to say there is something wrong with the IT bag itself. This is more to say that instead of searching for the sold-out bag carried by all the hot, of-the-minute celebrities and socialites, handbag fans have gone out on their own. Fashionistas are not long searching for what a celebrity or high-profile socialite is carrying. Instead, they are searching for a high-quality handbag at a not-so-crazy price-point. Something they can carry for more than one season, and possibly even for years. The investment handbag is having a moment.
Investment handbags can be interpreted in different ways. Some see them as handbags which hold their value or rise in resale value. Others see an investment handbag as cost-per-wear or length of ownership. Whichever version of handbag investing you prefer, there is no wrong answer.
Despite this trend of seeking out high quality, anonymous handbags, designers are putting their feet down and trying to bring back the IT bag. Instead of coming up with something new, or cleaning up their tarnished images, they are bringing back styles which enjoyed IT bag status ten to twenty years ago. Do we really need these bags in our lives again? Probably not. This re-issue trend is actually exploiting one of the reasons consumers are seeking quality handbags over logos and designer names. The quality.
The reason many handbags became IT bags in the past was because they offered high quality materials and craftsmanship. In addition, they offered a style which appealed to the masses. As quality goes down, and prices go up, these re-issue IT bags no longer have the high-quality sparkle they once had. Instead, they serve as a reminder of what was lost; high quality worth the four-digit price tag. Now, they cost twice as much with lower quality materials and craftsmanship. Can designers save the IT bag this way? Can they revive it by serving up an inferior product imitating one from yesteryear? I think not. So, what is the solution? Do we need the return of the IT bag? Or should we keep on pursuing the quality and value afforded to us by the anonymous handbag.
Only time, and the consumer will tell.
Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO
Cathy
