2001: A Bag Odyssey

The day I bought my first ever Balenciaga ‘Motorcycle’ bag in 2004 it was the start of a lifelong love affair. Many things in my style exploration come and go but Balenciaga bags have been the stalwart of my wardrobe.

The bags launched in 2001 when Nicolas Ghesquiere sent out prototypes of this new bag to various models and fashion editors. I remember seeing it in a magazine and I knew it was The One.

I had never really been much of a bag person up to that point but when I saw that bag it ignited something in me. It connected with me in ways no other fashion item ever had or has since.

The bags went on sale in 2002 and in 2004 I finally took the plunge and purchased one. I remember vividly the call I made to Queen Marie when I was visiting the in-laws up North. I had been thinking about buying one since that magazine article, then finally decided to take the plunge and stump up the £675 they cost back then (compared to over £1000 they cost now). I took myself to Harvey Nicols and there she was - a black Classique. Small, perfect, beautiful. Her leather tassels, the brass buckles, and studs, the squishiest, plushest Chevre leather I had ever touched. I sat on the train home, prize in hand, and was the happiest girl alive.

I knew this was a bag I’d have forever.

I ended up not carrying the bag very often as it was so special and beautiful I just didn’t want to ruin it. So then in 2005 I bought my second one, the ‘City’. This one has been carried continually since then and is now worn and beaten but still every bit as beautiful as it was then. These are bags that get better with age. Nowadays I have a small collection featuring an anthacite Giant City, a grey purse, a Town bag in canard blue as well as the original black Classique and City. All slightly different but each with those hardware details I fell in love with all those years ago.

The bags don’t really exist any longer in this slouchy state. At some point, possible during Alexander Wang’s tenure at the house, the bag was made more structured, making it as bland as every other designer bag on the market.

Top Left: Anthacite Giant 12 City / Top Right: Black City / Bottom Right: Black Classique / Bottom Left: Canard Blue Town / Middle: Grey purse