The Bag I Carried as a Teen Is Back in Fashion

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Le Pliage Original Large Tote Bag Longchamp Medium Le Pliage Tote Bag Longchamp Le Pliage Small Bag

A few months ago, my partner’s 16-year-old sister and her best friend visited New York. I was excited for many reasons, only one of which was that I love a window into how teenagers dress. The two of them wore versions of the same outfit: a cropped trench coat, a pair of baggy jeans, and—the kicker—the medium-size Longchamp Le Pliage tote bag. Apparently, they each have multiple colors and sizes.

Their obsession with Longchamp’s Le Pliage bag is by no means a new fad—just a recycled one. The Parisian leather-goods house originally released the tote in 1993 and has since come to be known for the style. Through the decades, the design has varied very little. Its body is made from foldable recycled canvas with a leather flap and strap. It’s durable and washable, and the original size retails for only $165. (That price skews up and down depending on your size selection.) Throughout its life span, the bag has been carried by everyone from Kate Middleton to Alexa Chung.

milan, italy june 21: sarah sophia franco wears black longchamps le pliage energy s eco nylon bag, light green labubu from the have a seat collection ququ, custom cream and dark red vegetable pattern/print sundress and matching headband, outside paul smith, during the milan fashion week mens spring/summer 2026 on june 21, 2025 in milan, italy (photo by edward berthelot/getty images) — getty images

After I saw Le Pliage on our teen visitors, all of a sudden, the classic tote was everywhere: on the street, in the office, aboard the subway. Two women on our digital team alone carry them as a daily work bag, and I’ve spotted countless more in the building. I also have my own—a gunmetal-colored weekender purchased for my semester abroad in college, which I still toss in car trunks for quick getaways. My mom also swears by them for travel, particularly the ones that extend to different sizes. I carried one as my dance bag, but I’m pretty sure it was a fake; even those reasonable prices couldn’t be justified for an eight-year-old.

Le Pliage has never really gone out of style, but it’s definitely experiencing a surge in popularity at the moment, especially among younger consumers. “As summer-intern season kicks off, we’ve seen demand for this style skyrocket,” says Noelle Sciacca, the RealReal’s associate director of fashion and strategic partnerships. The RealReal’s “obsessions” for Longchamp totes have grown 235% since last year, with new buyers for the brand’s handbags up 17%. Overall searches for Longchamp are up 30% year over year, with searches for the mini bag styles up 64%. If kept in great condition, Le Pliage bags maintain a sizable percentage of their resale value; a medium tote retails for $125 on The RealReal versus $150 on the primary market.

paris, france october 02: a guest wears a black wool pullover, a pink longchamp large handbag, black pants, a multicolored print pattern silk scarf, black leather nailed / studded mules from hermes, a white umbrella, outside hermes, during paris fashion week womenswear spring summer 2022, on october 02, 2021 in paris, france. (photo by edward berthelot/getty images) — getty images

The secret to its current success? Timeless design buoyed by its nostalgia factor. “In the early 2010’s Longchamp’s Le Pliage bag was everywhere,” says Sciaccia. “At least that’s how it seemed to me.” She was 23 in 2010 and just starting off her career as a fashion assistant in New York City. “I saw the nylon tote hanging from the shoulders of nine out of ten of my fellow workers.” New to the job force, she carried a plain canvas tote and lusted after the luxe Longchamp versions. “The Le Pliage’s widespread usage really stuck out to me—I remember thinking about the bag for an entire subway ride.”

TikTok is currently endorsing Sciaccia’s opinions. Swaths of young women entering the workforce are posting ASMR-style videos of themselves styling and stuffing their Le Pliage totes. @flaviaelenam rates each of the four sizes she owns in various colors, all adorned with unique keychains. @briannapalomino invites us to pack her new work bag (the medium size) with her, layering her floral planner, LV card case, Rhode lip gloss, claw clip, and more into a bag insert from Amazon. @iristimpe writes, “I feel as if switching from my high school backpack to a Longchamp Le Pliage is a sign of emotional maturity.”

Yes, Gen-Z-led trends tend to be sartorially inflammatory, but I actually don’t mind this one. The overt functional capacity and simple design of Longchamp’s Le Pliage supersede the trend cycle—or, in this moment, coincide with it. “In recent years, pared-down logo-less styles like The Row’s Margaux and Toteme’s T-Lock have replaced statement it-bags in popularity,” continues Sciaccia. “Le Pliage is part of that same style sensibility at an even more affordable price.”

I just packed my own Le Pliage for a weekend away. In doing so, I reminisced on all the silly outings on which it had accompanied me—as evidenced by a few loving marks and a missing zipper tab. Now, I’m considering adding to my collection. Perhaps a smaller size in black, a little beat-up, with some sort of a keychain on the strap. A little modern update to a heritage style.