The grounds for confirming the title of It Bag? Being Kate Moss’ arm candy for over two decades. That’s exactly what happened to Balenciaga’s Le City.
Moss’ illustrious style has always been synonymous with relaxed city girl, from her vintage negligees to her low-slung belts and her messy coif. Conveniently, Le City matched her aesthetic perfectly. The story goes that the supermodel was the catalyst for the motorcycle bag even being produced beyond a runway sample.
Shortly after spotting and sporting the item, she made it the bag, helping it become one of the most lusted-after luxury items of the early 2000s.
What makes the moto bag so unique? Ahead, you’ll find every detail about the era-defining accessory that still represents the same grunge-girl energy to this day.
Le City Bag, Then & Now
The slouchy silhouette, designed by Nicolas Ghesquière during his tenure at Balenciaga, first appeared on the runway in 2000. The bag’s logoless design and flexible leather exterior spoke to a certain relaxedness that resonated with Moss. It was the Croydon supermodel’s style and the grunge noughties period epitomized in a bag. Thus, Moss requested one, and (forgoing the doubts of the Balenciaga higher-ups) Ghesquière produced more — a mere 25 bags to start.
Years later, after being the go-to plus-one for every iconic 2000s it girl, the bag was relaunched in 2024 by Balenciaga’s current creative director, Demna Gvasalia. The updated version maintains the tough biker details and the nonchalant structure of the original and comes in varied sizes and colorways.
And, of course, the 2024 launch campaign features the bag’s No. 1 fan, Kate Moss.
Le City bag has also become a common canvas for the burgeoning bag charm trend. From its beginnings on Instagram (with account @shopbagcrap), the trend has become the cool-girl way to add kitschiness to your luxury handbags.
Balenciaga released a charmed version of its mini Le City following the bag adornments featured in Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection.
Naturally, Celebs Love Le City
Over the past two decades, the bag has graced the arms of every it girl in every iteration. The bag’s Y2K roster includes Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, the Hilton sisters, the Kardashians, and the Olsen twins, to name a few. Mary-Kate Olsen is known to be one of its biggest supporters, sporting many varieties from a playful light green version to a chic burgundy style.
Although the early aughts saw the initial takeoff of the biker bag, the purse has never lost its virality since its inception in 2001. Balenciaga ambassador Kim Kardashian has been carrying the bag throughout her career and even cites 129 Balenciaga bags in her recent “closet” campaign for the brand, featuring her collection.
Wait, Le City Costs How Much?!
This bag has seen many variations throughout the past 23 years, including offshoots by the brand, the infamous Le Cagole and Neo Classic.
With the resurrection of the bag in question, Balenciaga launched two sizes — small for $2,390 and medium for $2,900 — with updated materials. The 2024 model of the bag features Arena leather with Palladium Vibrato hardware, still keeping traditional details like the thimble-like studs and leather-strung zipper pulls.
While it is a modernized version of the bag, the construction repeats that of the vintage versions with identical dimensions for both the interior and exterior. The best part about the relaunched version? It has increased longevity due to a unique patina (produced as a byproduct of natural oxidation).
If you’re in the market for one of the many vintage options, there are plenty of amazing resale options for lower price points than the newest edition. Countless vintage versions are sold for less than $1,000 from notable secondhand retailers like Fashionphile, Vestiaire Collective, and Vivrelle. Plus, the City bag retains its value exceptionally well due to the quality materials and intentionally casual slouch.
