"I Like Big [Totes] & I Cannot Lie"
What is the common denominator of all the latest 'it' bags? Think The Row's insufferably hard-to-find Margaux, Coach's viral Brooklyn and sold-out Empire models, or Balenciaga's Rodeo. Alright, here's a hint: They're huge.
After a lengthy period of micro-bag supremacy, macro bags have had an explosive return, the impact of which is suspected to be felt all the way through 2026, too — just check esdeekid's ginormous bag on the front row of Demna's first Gucci show.
The popularity of big totes is connected to a handful of related trends, such as the hype around bag charms, and a heightened prioritization of the long term value, functionality, and real-world usability of pricey luxury items.
Leather good accessories are an entry point for consumers, and therefore present an obvious category for designers to invest time and effort in. For many customers, it's the first if not only item they desire to the point of purchasing. This goes hand in hand with the sobering assessments that most luxury brands have had to make in terms of their earnings in recent years, with spending dropping drastically on products their target audience deems boring and/or disproportionately expensive.
Neither mysterious, nor wholly pragmatic, the driver behind the big totes fits squarely into luxury fashion's bigger picture right now: Consumers are no longer here for fads or things that can only be worn on special occasions. The pieces that make headlines nowadays are more everyday and aesthetically durable, devoid of overt trendiness. So, when it comes to tote bags: It's go big or go home.
Totes? The Bigger, the Better:
Our Legacy Off-White Grocery Tote
Cut from textured off-white canvas, it doesn't get much more practical than the Our Legacy Grocery Tote. Chuck everything in and loop it over your shoulder. Jut pray that you don't need to find your keys in a hurry.
LOEWE Loop Logo-Debossed Leather Tote Bag
LOEWE's proud heritage lies in beautiful leather. The incredible full-grain leather build of this understated tote should be all the proof you need. This is a lifetime companion.
PORTER-YOSHIDA & CO. Nylon-Twill Tote Bag
Japanese icon PORTER-YOSHIDA & CO. has been making some of the most perfect, evergreen bags since 1935. That's long enough to count them as true experts when it comes to tote bags.
Diesel Charm-d Shopper
Diesel's thrashed denim is an unmistakable signature of the label and it's on full display here. Finished with a quilted detail, the Charm-D Shopper might buy into trends like bag accessories, but there's no arguing with its practicality, either.
HEREU Brown Calella Distressed Tote
When the leather is this nice, why complicate things? Hereu's mastery of footwear has now stretched to accessories, too, and the Calella Tote follows the same values of understated elegance as we've come to expect.
Carhartt WIP Brown Bay Tote
In terms of price-per-wear, there are few better propositions on the market than Carhartt WIP, whose near-indestructible builds range from chore jackets to hard-wearing totes.
BOTTEGA VENETA Intrecciato Leather Tote Bag
Bottega Veneta's inimitable Intrecciato weave takes center stage here; the pared-back silhouette of this leather tote leaving the spotlight open for the signature weave to shine.
MCM Aren School Bag Tote
MCM's unmistakable monogram print details this luxury leather tote bag. Signalling fifty years of proud heritage and meticulous sartorial tradition, it's a proud signal of an item that's made for life.
A KIND OF GUISE Ukanda Crinkled Leather Tote
Simple in its design, but complex in its detailing, the Ukanda Tote from A KIND OF GUISE features a beautifully worn-in look with crinkled leather and aged metal accents to the buckle and strap.
CELINE Triomphe Logo-Print Coated-Canvas Tote Bag
Big in size and big in color, the Triomphe Tote Bag from Celine features the House's logo in a hypnotic repeated pattern against a stunning sky-blue canvas backdrop.
Arc'teryx Granville 30 Carryall Bag
Fully waterproof and built to carry 30L of your stuff, the Arc'teryx Granville Carryall Bag is ideal for any expedition you've got in mind, whether it's urban or wild.
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