These bags are different from those more instantly identifiable with youth culture, like the grungy appeal of Vivienne Westwoodโs plaid handbags or Betsey Johnsonโs whimsical clutches festooned with bows and glitter. Theyโre simple, preppy and even a little conservative. So, whatโs the appeal?
โItโs the perfect bagโ
Fifteen-year-old Sienna Jovcevski with her two Longchamp bags.Credit: Wolter Peeters
Sienna Jovcevski, 15, first came across Longchamp on TikTok a few years ago.
โSome of my friends had [also] bought some, so I just wanted to see what the hype was about,โ says the Sydney-based high school student.
In early 2024, she took the plunge with her first purchase: the large travel version of the Le Pliage in black, which she liked for its versatility.
โItโs the perfect travel bag, but I could also take it to the library if Iโm studying, or to dance.โ
As a sign of the bagโs popularity, Jovcevski has added a name tag to her Le Pliage to identify it in a sea of identical bags toted by classmates at her dance school.
She added to her collection on holiday last year, buying the pint-sized Le Pliage (again in black) at Istanbul airport. As the founder of her own brand, Tweeny Skin, Jovcevski was able to fund both these purchases herself.
โIt [the mini Le Pliage] is so good for going out because I can fit anything I need, like my phone, a lip liner. I donโt really take much with me day to day, so it fits all the essentials.โ
An affordable slice of the luxury pie
While these handbags certainly hail from the world of luxury, their prices are decidedly mid-range. Bags from Coach start at about $350, while Longchampโs Le Pliage starts at $185. These prices, while still high, are a far cry from bags like Hermesโ Birkin, which sells for at least $20,000.
Melbourne-based stylist Sally Mackinnon thinks in a cost-of-living crisis โthese brands offer an โentry-levelโ price into the designer accessory world โ so the user still feels they have a โluxuryโ brand, without the price tagโ.
Dr Marian Makkar, a senior marketing lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology who researches the luxury market, agrees.
โDespite its association with British royals and the older crowd, TikTok influencers declared it the ultimate โbook bagโ for students and a beginner designer bag, thanks to its accessible price point,โ she says.
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Makkar adds that these bags imbue their wearer with status, โallowing Gen Z to signal to others cultural and social capital as well as status potential wealthโ.
โIt gives off a quiet, inconspicuous luxury vibe all whilst being affordable, but not so accessible that everyone is carrying it. Itโs both aspirational and attainable.โ
Cassegrain says its pricing is just plain and simple.
โTheyโre well-made products with nice materials, but theyโre not outrageously expensive because we donโt apply marketing to our pricing strategy.โ
What is a heritage brand?
A heritage brand, Marian Makkar explains, โis part of a brandโs identity that captures their core values, symbols, longevity and history that a company leverages for marketing purposes and to build brand equityโ.
Just about any fashion house that leans on its history could be counted as a heritage brand but common examples include Burberry, Chanel and Valentino.
Not your grandmaโs bag
Despite their transcendence of generations, Gen Z is putting its own spin on the bags.
Mackinnon says many are mixing their handbags in new and eclectic ways.
โThere are a lot of Gen Z styling these bags back with their vintage and second-hand finds. They are not all about brands โ they like to mix pre-loved with affordable luxury. This combination makes them feel a sense of nostalgia.โ
Others are โJane Birkin-ifyingโ their bags โ a trend inspired by the British fashion iconโs habit of adorning her namesake Hermes bag with stickers and charms, using keychains, beads and plush toys for a personal, lived-in effect.
Luxury and Gen Z
The luxury market struggled in 2024 amid soaring product prices, consumer fatigue and market downturn, with heritage brands like Burberry reporting bleak sales. Amid this all, brands have been grappling with retaining existing customers while remaining relevant to younger consumers.
Chanel, a brand more often associated with country clubs than youth culture, has been attempting to reach Gen Z through its beauty offerings, placements on shows like Emily in Paris, and brand ambassadors like Margaret Qualley.
So, as luxuryโs upper echelons become increasingly inaccessible, consumers who donโt want to opt for fast fashion dupes of designer products might find what theyโre looking for in brands catering to the middle market.
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