Primarily known for its appearance in paparazzi shots, Balenciaga’s ‘Le City’ mainly owes its cult-status to snapshot photography. If it weren’t for the often looked-down-upon ‘gutter press’, there probably wouldn’t be such a ring to the bag’s name, a name that itself has seen a shift. Originally launched as the ‘Motorcycle City Bag’, the prefix has over time been omitted in favour of the shorter ‘Le City’. All this, when actually, it was never meant to go into production in the first place.
Initially pitched as an early 2000s catwalk ‘addendum’, the bag quickly grew to a, if not the, ubiquitous product Balenciaga has ever known. And with it, a sign of the time of Nicolas Ghesquière’s tenure at the house. Asked to work on a licensing for bags, French designer Ghesquière came up with a prototype of what would eventually come to be known as the ‘Motorcycle’, ‘Lariat’, or as we know it today, ‘Le City’. Although now renowned, it required Ghesquière a great dose of perseverance for it to be sent into production. In the back-end offices of the brand, there was little to no receptiveness to his prototype. A bag with no logo seemed like a waste of time, effort, and most importantly, resources. Granted, the corporate hesitance was understandable, as the bags that aired prime time back then were far more elegant. But against any better judgment, in the end, Ghesquière was able to convince those in charge to at least make some.
Intended to be the sole one, the bag’s first run consisted of as few as 25 pieces. Only after Kate Moss piqued interest in the bag did it go into mass production. She happened to be one of the models who walked in one of Ghesquière’s 2001 shows, the season the bag was supposed to debut. With her, many of the other models were intrigued by this vintage-looking bag they spotted in the studio in between fittings. Upon Ghesquière explaining it was merely a prototype, and seeing their disappointment, the idea arose to make a small batch as gifts to the girls who at least appreciated his design. But what started as a small, loving gesture would quickly reach unprecedented heights, even to the surprise of Ghesquière himself. And so, there was little need felt for advertising. Not at first because, well, it wasn’t meant to go into retail sales. And once it skyrocketed, the bag essentially spoke for itself. Having Kate Moss’ seal of approval, an icon was born, and the rest is simply history. The reason why today the bag is so esteemed within Balenciaga's corporate offices is, as a matter of course, linked to its prior proven success. Compared to around the turn of the century, spending money on a campaign featuring the bag nowadays almost automatically results in a return on investment. The bag has proven its rightful place, albeit earned through a strange twist of fate.
The ’Le City’ proves to be the carrier bag behind the power of popular culture, celebrities (willingly) stepping in as free advertisers. Perhaps the most honest form of ‘influencing’ there ever was, just people wearing something they genuinely loved, not yet attributed with a certain prestige. However, in turn, these wearers’ societal status as models, actresses, etc., meant that their taste was considered authorized, thus, to be watched and, if possible, followed; visual markers of good taste. One such marker, as mentioned, was early adopter Kate Moss. Or should we say, is, as the most recent campaign by Self-Portrait for Fall/Winter 2025 draws on precisely those heydays of the paparazzi era. Somehow, the two seem to be intrinsically linked, part of people’s collective memory.
And it was Kate Moss herself who was again the face behind the City Bag’s most recent viral upsurge—viral once still meant informed by tabloids and fashion magazines, not yet defined in terms of today’s social media landscape. The intertwined history of Moss and the bag, as well as her share in its success, made her an obvious choice for the 2024 relaunch campaign shot by fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti. Much like Anna Wintour pioneered the power of popular culture at Vogue, Demna Gvasalia, then creative director at Balenciaga, pulled those same strings of familiar popular culture faces (models, actresses, singers), who instilled the bag’s cult-status the first time around. In January of 2024, the bag made a first appearance in Balenciaga’s Closet Campaign, celebrating the return of the icon later on in April, starring, among others, brand ambassador Kim Kardashian (Nicole Kidman, also brand ambassador, in turn, starred in the April campaign). Among the City Bag as the most prominent and frequent feature, the images by photography duo Inez & Vinoodh include other signatures also, one being ‘Le Cagole’. Back in 2021, this shoulder-bag version of the ‘Le City’ was the first step towards the eventual re-release, testing the waters of its modern appeal. Leading up to ‘Le Cagole’, the closest you could get to the feel of the City Bag was Balenciaga’s ‘Neo Classic’ released Fall/Winter 2020, albeit more trapezoid-shaped as opposed to the City’s original rectangular design.
It’s often stated that it takes around 20 years for something to come back in fashion. By then, enough time has passed for people to foster a sense of nostalgia for something they’ve forgotten, and for new generations to discover seemingly novel items. And even though the City Bag was never really shelved, but rather relentlessly worn throughout the early 00s up until today, there’s no denying the bag’s currency has seen a massive upsurge in recent years; one of its main selling points being that there’s something for everyone. Originally executed in mostly neutral hues, the rerun’s colour palette ranges from bold neon versions to metallic finishes, and everything in between. Moreover, it’s a bag that transcends both age and the binary thinking of ‘high versus low’, so to speak. From what’s (or who’s) considered ‘classy’ to ‘trashy’, the bag has been spotted dangling from many an arm. And without a logo to label it, time has turned it into a logo in and of itself.
Back in 2001, finding a classy, elegant bag wasn’t challenging in the least. The same, however, could not be said for a more lived-in type of bag. Enter Ghesquière’s ‘Le City’. Made from Balenciaga’s emblematic Arena lambskin leather, which becomes smoother with every outing, and its natural crease-like texture, this bag can take a beating. It can match up with the hurdles of day-to-day life and beyond, whilst still looking pristine in its own right. From the reinforced corners and iconic rivets to the zipper hardware and braided handles, the ‘Le City’ is designed with practicality in mind, a rarity in fashion. Not to mention Ghesquière’s specific diligence to design for eternity. The bag’s patina, one of the characteristics that makes it such a firm favourite among both stars and mortals, doesn’t run the risk of tainting the bag’s reputation. No matter how much the leather is worn down, it remains as relevant as ever, seamlessly taking the wearer from day to night for nearly a quarter of a decade now.
It’s as much an It-bag as an It-bag can be, with counterfeits just as numerous as the next Chanel Boy, Dior Saddle, or Louis Vuitton Speedy. Yet it stands out in its laid-backness. Flexible yet durable. What one would call a true investment piece. But still, to this day, it is the early ‘Le City’ that has an unrivaled aura attached to it as a charm, a patina that even the softest of leather cannot equal. Released in sizes ranging from nano to large, the bag’s more recent counterparts echo the original design, but appear ever so slightly more streamlined. In itself, the design (both then and now) entails an oxymoron: the smoother the leather, the slouchier the actual shape of the bag, all the while ensuring a structured sense of firmness. It’s granted to very few bags to pull off this equilibrium. The ‘Le City’ is a balancing act overall: a bag that seems a lot, yet without ever being too much, somehow still understated. Despite its many features, with its rectangular 25-panel construction, the bag almost couldn’t have a simpler design. It doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not, never not trying too much.
Both bag and legacy have proven to stand the test of time. In a way, the notion of a relaunch even seems somewhat beside the point, as the bag is designed to be worn, therefore made to last. Hence, the original ones are still as sought-after today by fashion insiders as in the early days. Compare it to a good-quality leather jacket; it only gets better the more it’s worn, moulding not only to the wearer’s body but to their lives. Effortless and wearable, its signature silhouette of slouchy sophistication speaks volumes; versatility at its best. Best illustrated not in posed studio photography, but rather in candid off-duty snapshots, as evoked by Balenciaga itself earlier this year in a series of paparazzi-informed images (digitally altered, that is), down to even the pap-recalling watermark. Which can be seen as the brand’s play on the legacy of the bag: once off the cuff, now limelight.
