Baggage Claim

Balenciaga’s Le City Is Still The Main Character

The it bag’s latest drops are “reigniting the covetable, buzzy factor” for Bustle’s fashion market director.

May 21, 2026

The verdict is in: Hot people carry big bags. Roomy carryalls completely dominated the Spring/Summer 2026 runways, cementing their status as must-haves for both celebs and real-world style stars for the foreseeable future. And Balenciaga’s Le City remains the biggest flex, holding down the throne as the cool-girl staple for 25 years and counting.

Since the Le City (née the Motorcycle City bag) first catapulted to superstardom on the arm of Kate Moss in the early 2000s, the slouchy, studded icon has been the reigning symbol of effortless style. Throw it on with a casual tee and jeans, and you’re instantly deemed edgy and chic.

“I loved the era when every celeb had this bag, permanently resting on the nook of one arm and balancing a latte on the other,” says Bustle Fashion Market Director Jennifer Yee of the grunge-girl obsession.

“Pierpaolo Piccioli hit the perfect note this spring, making Le City bags in rich, buttery, jewelry tones that were fully runway-ready...”

Already a certified fave, Le City fever reached a whole new level earlier this year. Yee even put it “at the top of the list” for this season’s bag reinvention trend. “Pierpaolo Piccioli hit the perfect note this spring, making Le City bags in rich, buttery, jewelry tones that were fully runway-ready and reigniting the covetable, buzzy factor,” she says. (The “Plum” amethyst and “Lagoon” topaz shades are *chef’s kiss*.)

While the new designs beautifully honor the bag’s archival DNA — including its iconic hand-braided leather handles, detachable straps, and leather-framed mirror — they’ve shed some of the bulk, making them way easier to sling on and go.

If you’ve been coveting a Le City, the current lineup is basically a love letter to your wardrobe, serving up soft suedes, casual denims, and bold printed leathers. And while the fashion crowd’s naturally chasing the drama of this season's massive runway silhouettes, you can always pivot to a neater, more nano-sized moment whenever giant carryalls clash with your OOTD. Either way, you’ll instantly be the coolest girl in the room.