2023's Biggest It Bag Is an Early 2000s Reboot With a New Name

Like it or not, the early 2000s and all things Y2K are very much back. If you follow designer fashion or celebrity style even just casually, you've probably seen this brewing. (For reference: See anything Olivia Rodrigo or Dua Lipa wears.) But you don't have to go full-blown Paris Hilton during The Simple Life days to look on-trend right now. I personally prefer to incorporate just one early 2000s trend here and there. And if I owned the It bag that's the subject of this story, that's exactly how I'd do it. 

Depending on your age, you may recall the Balenciaga Moto handbag that was wildly popular in the early 2000s. Instagram wasn't even a thing in 2001 when it made its debut, but it was a celebrity favorite from the get-go. This past fall, Balenciaga made a very smart, timely move and released a new and improved Moto bag, renaming it the City Bag. Based on the sheer number of colors and sizes Balenciaga made of its new City Bag, you can tell the brand knows it's on to a good thing (again). It also released several new styles with motorcycle details, including the instantly popular Cagole bag.

Scroll to see some of the influencers and celebrities who are embracing the new moto-inspired Balenciaga handbags and shop my favorites.

Celebs

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(Image credit: Backgrid)

Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney wore the Cagole bag with high-waisted jeans and a baby tee.

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(Image credit: Gotham/GC Images)

Dua Lipa is practically a Y2K poster child, so it makes sense that she'd be toting one of the Balenciaga's moto-inspired bags.

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(Image credit: Marc Piasecki/GC Images)

Another Euphoria star, Alexa Demie is a new Balenciaga It girl, sitting front row next to Kim Kardashian for the label's F/W 22 show in Paris.

Instagram

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(Image credit: @maria_bernad)

Perfect size, perfect color.

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(Image credit: @cassdimicco)

I'm green with envy.

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(Image credit: @alwaysjudging)

The Cagole bag is clearly a favorite among both celebrities and influencers.

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(Image credit: @threadsstyling)

This color, though.

Street Style

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(Image credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

There's a matching color for every outfit.

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(Image credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

She's cute.

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(Image credit: Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images)

The crossbody styling is fun.

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(Image credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

Here for this eclectic mix of styles.

Shop My Favorite Balenciaga City and Cagole Bags

Next, These Designer Bags Are Quickly Becoming Celebrities' Favorite Accessory

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.