Why Has the It-Handbag Made a Disappearance?

[Supergrofatty]

Big powerful brands have just continued to knock out numerous niche brands, the marketing money spent to get people to pay for these insane prices is just incredible.

 

[ecnerretneerg]

I actually don’t think that the “It bag” has disappeared. I would argue that the Balenciaga cagole, YSL quilted tote, and dare I say it… the MJ Tote bag are huge. Also, a lot former it bags like the Baguette and Saddle are very covetable now.

I think one reason why they’re no long a phenomenon is due to fashion not being aspirational anymore. Luxury has almost become the standard. For example, more and more consumers prefer buying a pair of Balenciaga sneakers over a pair of Nikes. It bags were status symbols. But now that “fashion is for everyone,” I don’t think they carry as much weight. Unless you’re carrying an Hermes bag, no one cares.

Also, I believe the way we consume media has impacted “it bag” culture. Tabloid magazines and entertainment news programs were huge catalysts to a bag’s success. Instead of a bag having organic growth through paparazzi images, brands now rely heavily on paid partnerships from a handful of influencers. Brands market bags now like pushy salespeople at a boutique. Its very inauthentic.

 

[Drusilla_]

Honestly, part of it comes from economic conditions and the turbocharging of prices - luxury brands now want the 2% who drive 40% of NAP's sales and so price their bags out of range of the riffraff 'aspirational' customers who are getting squeezed by rising costs in other parts of their lives anyway. The other part is that, as others have said, the designs aren't all that - free cotton tote bags and Uniqlo bags are more likely to become a craze than a luxury bag (and their overexposure in the media/on influencers as a symbol of 'no logo' wealth has made even Birkins look tacky)