The only constant one could rely on in the fashion world is that fashion is forever changing. Often repeating, sometimes rhyming. And now, as bag trends revive the glory days of the ‘90s and early 2000s with reissues and repackaging old silhouettes, one particular trend stands out. That is, bags with “character”. Bags that are obviously vintage, bags with cracked and aged leather, bags with charms and pins that cheerfully jangle. Iconic silhouettes, stripped down of their perfection, diluting their bodies to match the age of their history.
This trend first took shape in 2024. Right after Jane Birkin’s passing, the focus shifted to the bags she inspired. How the pinnacle of status, brought by “playing the game”, was deformed, bruised, and beaten by the muse herself! It sparked the trend of “Jane Birkinifying” a bag, allowing it to be scratched, stretched, and well, be used. And it also promptly brought back the trend of bag charms, first the Labubu, then reusing micro bags, now hybrid lipstick and perfume cases.
This fascination with imperfect bags also helped shape the world of archival luxury. And the appetite for it is worldwide. According to a report by BCG (Boston Consulting Group) and luxury resale platform Vestiaire Collective, the secondhand fashion and luxury market is growing at three times the rate of the firsthand market. The report also states that the market is growing 10% a year, with global estimates expected to reach up to $360 billion by 2030. Whereas a report by Dubai-based platform, The Luxury Closet, mentions that they have received a 25% rise in vintage sales in 2024, with the UAE leading the charge, followed by the US and Saudi Arabia. Currently, UK-based archival luxury brand Break Archive is hosting an exclusive Dubai pop-up at The Meld Concept, Jumeirah. And within it are sequinned Fendi Baguettes, funky Chanel finds, and rare Hermes pieces. Simply put, they’re rich with “character”.
Whereas the runways are simply watching and adapting. Coach debuted the Empire Bag in mid-2025, and while everyone loved it for its comically large size, the worn-in leather was part of its appeal. Right after we saw classic flaps in Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel debut being blown apart, while brands like ALAÏA, Bottega Veneta, and YSL all offer bags in aged, soft leather, made to be malleable.
It all ties in with the desire for bags with “character”, and this desire comes out of the need to focus on personality over perfection. It forces fashion to establish a personality before conversation, where a quick glance at a bag shows exactly who you are: witty, well-travelled, practical, and most importantly, rich with life.
It is a canvas to project our humanness and how our humanity can manifest into wear and tear. In a way, clinging to these bags is another form of delighting in nostalgia, continuing with our desire to chase analogue and the textures of the past. In that lens, with the boom of AI and tech-focused perfection, it’s no wonder that everyone starts to look for the imperfect. Aged leather and patina reveal memory, scratches reveal wear, and charms reveal sentimentality. It is all uniquely human that tech cannot replicate. The “character” that these bags portray and the “character” that we pain ourselves to portray are simply mirrors of who we are. And it’s why in a sea of bag trends that come and go, we continue to gravitate to pieces that speak our hearts aloud.
