Clare Thorp
With the rise of the ready-for-anything, giant tote, and the recent popularity of a Birkin dupe, we look at the evolution of the It bag and ask what our choice of bag reveals.
If you’re the sort of person who likes to be prepared for any eventuality when you leave the house, then you’re in luck – one of the biggest accessories trends right now is the supersized handbag. Think slouchy, voluminous holdalls and totes perfect for stuffing with make-up bags, phone chargers, water bottles, books, umbrellas and whatever paraphernalia you need to see you through the day.
Designers aren’t always known for prioritising practicality, so this feels like a welcome moment of fashion meeting function. The spring/summer 2025 catwalk shows saw models for Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton and Hermès strut down the catwalk with sensible, spacious doctor holdalls, while at Proenza Schouler they carried giant totes. Last autumn Yves Saint Laurent launched its latest arm candy, the roomy Y – a bag you might actually fit the kitchen sink into – now a favourite with celebrities, including Angelia Jolie and Bella Hadid.
