13 Popular Purses That Defined the Meaning of It Bag in 2019 (So Far)
This just might be the year that the It bag evolved into something entirely new. This year we witnessed a bag so popular even we couldn’t get our hands on it, iconic designs resurrected from decades earlier, and affordable purses with a cult following that rival designs 10 times their price. We also saw just-launched brands become popular overnight thanks in part to Instagram and its power to elicit discovery on a global scale.
What we have in 2019 is a group of It bags that include many of the key luxury brands you would normally expect, but also bags from on-the-rise labels that are reaching cult status in a way that they haven’t in the past. Ahead, discover the 13 popular purses that have defined the meaning of It bag in 2019 (so far). Keep scrolling to find out why each of these bags made the cut and shop our edit.
Bottega Veneta Pouch
If you've opened up Instagram recently, it would be hard to miss Bottega Veneta's pouch bag. At the top of the year, we predicted this would be the It bag of 2019, and it has certainly delivered. The leather bag has quickly risen to cult status and has been so popular that it has landed on the sellout list again and again.
Paco Rabanne Chainmail bag
With Julien Dossena at the helm of Paco Rabanne, the iconic brand has again become as in demand as it was decades ago. Among its most cult-worthy items? The brand's signature chainmail bags that were originally designed in the 1960s.
Chloé C Bag
The Chloé C bag swept the fashion scene this spring and continues to one of the year's most popular new bags. With just a C clasp at the front, the polished bag has established itself as a cult classic.
Margiela Grand Slam Bag
As we move into fall, the oversize bag trend will really find its footing. Margiela's puffy clutches were everywhere on the street style scene during Paris couture week and stye style's popularity will no doubt continue as we approach fashion month.
Jacquemus Le Chiquito
The fashion world can't stop talking about the big bag trend, but the Jacquemus Le Chiquito is the popular mini that proves tiny bags still have legs. And yes, there's a teenier, tinier version you can order that measures just two inches across.
Staud Rey Bag
With a $325 price point, Staud's Rey bag is the affordable It bag to know about. With a refined silhouette and faux-crocodile finish, it taps into the sophistication that will define fashion for the second half of 2019.
Ratio et Motus Twin Frame Bag
This fall, frame bags are set to take over as polished style comes into focus. Leading the pack? The Twin Frame Bag from Ratio et Motus. While this vintage-inspired tote has already established itself as a cult item in 2019, we only expect it to gain popularity as the year continues.
Burberry Lola Bag
Get ready to know Lola, Burberry's just-launched bag that we're already awarding It status. Its chunky chain strap lines up with fall's��chunky jewelry trend and is balanced out by an elegant quilted finish.
Dior 30 Montaigne Bag
Dior released its 30 Montaigne bag earlier this year to great success. With a box silhouette inspired by the 1960s and signature CD clasp on the front, it's the must-buy bag from Dior.
Chanel Pearl-Handle Flap Bag
If there are two things that define Chanel more than anything else, it's tweed and pearls. Those two details are the focus on Chanel's latest must-buy bag, which has a luxe tweed finish in pink or black and a handle crafted from XL faux pearls.
Prada Transparent Shopper
Prada's see-through shopper was a huge hit this summer and was seen in the vacation wardrobes of fashion insiders across the globe.
Louis Vuitton Dauphine Bag
Leave it to Nicholas Ghesquière to design a bag that exhibits all of Louis Vuitton's core design principles in an entirely new and modern way with the Dauphine bag. The flap bag is finished with a leather and chain strap and comes in the classic LV monogram as well as solid color versions.
Medea Tote
Here's the cool bag that's basically a grown-up version of a shopping bag updated with a luxe leather finish. With a wide range of shades, Madea's totes are the easy not-really-trying bags to pair with anything in your wardrobe.
Next, read about the luxe trend that will be everywhere this fall.
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.
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