The C(e)line Luggage Tote took the world by storm when it hit the scene back in 2010. Designed by none other than Phoebe Philo herself, the Luggage Tote was not an instant hit as you would imagine. Rather, this unlikely It-bag took a minute to pick up steam before eventually becoming a go-to for fashion’s elite, celebrities, and everyday collectors just like us.
The Luggage Tote would go on to become a staple for Celine, reimagined season after season in countless iterations spanning various leathers, fabrics, and nearly every color you could imagine. Today, the Celine Luggage Tote is still being produced, despite Philo’s exit from the brand back in 2017. An unmistakable icon now synonymous with the Celine brand, is The Luggage Tote a true forever classic, or has it become a dated trend?
New Classic or Dated Trend?
Nearly a year ago, I wrote about the love I still had for the Celine Luggage Tote, and while that hasn’t changed much, I’ve yet to add one to my collection. Recently when scouring the resale market for current deals, I began to ponder why exactly I didn’t take the plunge. Then, Megs was responding to a Q&A on Instagram recently when a follower asked her opinion on the Luggage Tote, and that really got me thinking. Sure, the Luggage has proven its staying power at this point, but when I look, and I mean really look long and hard, at the Luggage Tote, what is it that I see?
The 2010s were a very specific time in fashion. From peplum tops and neon-colored bandage dresses (where in the world is Herve Leger?) to platform heels and skinny jeans, I realized that I associate the large, winged silhouette of the Luggage Tote with the fashion trends from a decade ago. And while the nostalgia of the Luggage Tote does pull at my heartstrings and bring me back, I feel that it has become sort of dated and overplayed.
A big part of me hates to say it because for so long the Luggage was a bag I loved and lusted after, but I don’t see the shape being simple or sleek enough to remain a true classic; rather I feel the silhouette will always be associated with the 2010s and its fashion. I’m not saying that I dislike the Luggage, nor am I saying that if I owned one, I wouldn’t wear it. But personally, I feel like it’s too late to join the Luggage Tote bandwagon, and for me, this isn’t a case of better late than never, but a case of a missed opportunity (oh well).
Maybe my longing and love for this bag for so long was more about longing for a time that feels like another life ago.
What do you think?