Receipts! Screenshots! Bowler Bags Are So Back
Graphic by Jasmine Fox-Suliaman; Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; @sobalera; PICTURED: Miu Miu F/W 24; Tod's F/W 24; Stella McCartney S/S 25; Bottega Veneta F/W 24
EDITORS NOTE: THIS STORY WAS PUBLISHED ON WHO WHAT WEAR IN December 2024.
Hot take: No runway trend is trending until you can thumb through enough evidence proving it's being seen on the street. We need the receipts and screenshots—period. But even if you're not the type of person who spends their free time compiling evidence for the biggest runway trends (guilty as charged), it should be no surprise that late '90s and early '00s fashion has resurfaced. After all, It's taken over social media, street style, and even our site. Now, we'll be the first to admit that the handbags from that era haven't been given as much attention until now. For the last few seasons, luxury houses revitalized bag trends from the late '90s, including the bowler bag. Some of the best types of bags were adopted from their original function (often antithetical to high fashion) and transformed into a trend. Such was the case with the bowling bag.
As the name suggests, this structured bag has a flat bottom and curved top to carry bowling equipment. The style's adaptation and subsequent embrace into mainstream fashion were ushered in by Dior's vibe bag (released in 1997) and Prada's bowler bag (released in 2000). While these two luxury brands may have given the bowler bag its "lane," the redux of '00s aesthetics in recent runway collections has ensured its continued relevance. But make no mistake, the version of this handbag trend we've seen bubbling up now isn't a doubling-back of the same old bowler bags. That shift is embodied in a new wave of viral bowler bags, such as The Row's Margaux Tote Bag or Ferragamo's Hug Bag, which have given the classic handbag a contemporary refresh by embracing minimalism.
Unlike the logo-heavy bowler bags that dominated the aughts, these bags brought about a newer version of this bag trend that focused on reimagining the style through textures, colors, and even the silhouette's portions. Since then, several other designers have followed suit, including in the F/W 24 and S/S 25 collections of Miu Miu, Tod's, ACNE Studios, Bally, Stella McCartney, Coach, Khaite, and Sandy Liang. While every designer reimagined this bag in different ways (some have adapted the style to create an East-West silhouette, while others have given it a boxier shape), there's no denying that bowler bags will strike out as one of the season's biggest trends.
Don't believe this "dated" bag is back in the game? We've shared examples of the bowler bag trend on the runway ahead. Plus, we've rounded up a curation of the best bowling bags to buy (in case you're feeling lucky).
On the Runway
Photo via Who What Wear; Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Miu Miu F/W 24
Photo via Who What Wear; Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Tod's F/W 24
Photo via Who What Wear; Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Stella McCartney S/S 25
Photo via Who What Wear; Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Khaite S/S 25