It wasn’t very long ago that designer bags were considered a female-only endeavour. Although it was normal for a man to take a briefcase to work, or a backpack to school, anything more fashionable, like a branded bag, or a smaller bag, was going to result in turned heads and a negative result.
Back in the early 2000s, the term man bag was coined, marking male bags as something to mark aside from a feminine-only domain. But when you look at the current times, this is no longer the case. There are no ‘man bags’, there are just bags. Most brands market their bags to men or women, but the reality is that there’s a crossover now, most bags are considered unisex.
Now, every major fashion designer like the Louis Vuitton Boutique has taken the time to design and put bags for men on the runways. These aren’t just limited to backpacks and bumbags, the bags have officially branched out to new levels. But why has this change happened?
These are the reasons designer bags are becoming popular for men.
Masculine & Feminine Fashion ‘Rules’ Are Disappearing
Modern fashion is no longer confining itself to gender limitations. As gender fluidity rises in popularity, menswear is branching outwards and adopting more feminine items such as jewellery, skirts, nail polish and designer bags. This means that the idea that bags are inherently feminine, or that they can’t be worn by male-presenting people is going away, along with other fashion boundaries dictated by gender. These days it’s normal, or even trendy for a man to walk around sporting a cross-body bag or a tote bag. This gender-fluid notion of gender is opening up a much more balanced, creative and fresh fashion playground.
Luxury Streetwear Is Trending
If you weren’t aware, street style or streetwear is a style of casual clothing that became popular in the 1990s and has since become more mainstream. It began with roots in countercultures like hip-hop, streetwear and more. Now it’s been adopted by luxury brands and can frequently be seen on the runways every single year, and is highly geared towards more masculine styles, something that has been taboo for some time.
The rise of men’s bags becoming popular can trace back to the beginning when streetwear was adopted into the luxury fashion market, and adopted by celebrities and influencers all over the world.
Streetwear admirers wear their bags proudly, not only does this free up the hands, but it allows for a cleaner aesthetic. One of the first brands to tap into this trend was Louis Vuitton, who took cues from this style to make leather bags for men that are infinitely wearable and are still seen by celebrities all over.
Bags are a Practical Choice
Bags are practical. No one likes having their pants or jacket pockets sagging and bulky with the weight of carrying their wallet, phone, keys and more. Now men don’t have to suffer with stuffed pockets. They can choose to use a bag as a practical and functional tool, not just as a fashion statement. This is the core reason why designer bags are no longer just being worn by celebrities.
Once upon a time you’d only ever see men’s bags at fashion shows or worn by top-end celebrities. Now, if you head to the local shops, you’re bound to see one man with a tote bag, a crossbody bag or a shoulder bag. This is because they can have their hands free to do their shopping in peace.
Men’s Bags Are Now a Trend
Thanks to all of the societal and fashion changes hitting the market, men’s bags are officially becoming a trend. Not only is it a trend, but men’s bags are also now. Aventure that women are dipping their feet into, especially if they’re looking for a more streetwear look. Now when a man invests in a bag, it’s a fashionable, functional choice, not a taboo choice.
