Seen on Kylie Jenner at 9 a.m., then on Dua Lipa by dinner, the it bag keeps dictating what pops on feeds and in shop windows. The twist in 2025 : quieter logos, richer materials, smarter shapes. Celebrities embraced stealth wealth bags with serious staying power, and the market responded with rising resale and waitlists that stretch for months.
The big picture lands fast. Hermès Birkins still anchor the conversation, but The Row Margaux, Prada’s Re-Edition, and Bottega Veneta’s soft clutches are everywhere in paparazzi shots. Price hikes and limited supply push curiosity into action. Fans want the exact model, the size, the color that reads right now – and still works in two years. That is the real issue shoppers solve today.
Why the celebrity it bag still rules street style and premieres
One appearance can move a product. When Kendall Jenner rotated multiple sizes of The Row Margaux, searches spiked and waitlists grew. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley helped Bottega Veneta’s Pouch feel inevitable back in 2019. Bella Hadid’s daily looks kept the Prada Re-Edition 2000 nylon on the sidewalk, not just in archives.
The cycle is faster, yet today’s hit bags are less shouty. Minimal branding suits camera flashes and office doors. That balance – statement and discretion – travels well from car to carpet. It also resets expectations on longevity, which is where the numbers start to matter.
Data check : prices, resale and the pull of Hermès, Chanel and The Row
Price moves reshaped the field. Business of Fashion reported in 2021 that Chanel raised prices by roughly 60 percent since 2019, pushing the Classic Flap into full luxury territory. That changed buyer behavior and nudged attention toward alternatives that still read premium.
On the secondary market, value kept climbing. Rebag’s Clair Report 2022 measured average retained value at 103 percent for Hermès, 87 percent for Chanel and 82 percent for Louis Vuitton. Translation : select Birkin and Kelly models can sell above retail, while strong classics from the other houses hold a large share of what you paid.
Auction highs tell the long game. Christie’s set a record in 2017 when a Hermès Himalaya Birkin reached HK$2.94 million – about 380,000 dollars – in Hong Kong. That headline still shadows every rare-croc drop. And then, momentum met minimalism. The Lyst Index listed The Row Margaux among the hottest products in 2023, confirming the quiet-luxury silhouette was not niche anymore.
What stars carry now : The Row Margaux, Prada Re-Edition, Hermès icons
Quiet power first. The Row Margaux appears on Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The soft structure and low-key hardware click with tailored coats and track pants alike. It signals taste, not noise.
Heritage swings back. The Prada Re-Edition 2000 and 2005 nylon baguettes sit on Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa, turning Y2K energy into daily utility. They are light, durable, city proof.
For pure status, Hermès still rules. Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham rotate Birkins and Kellys in classic sizes. Color stories – from Gold to Etoupe – photograph cleanly and age well. That is the point. A timeless tone keeps resale stronger and outfits calmer.
How to pick your own it bag without regret
The trap is obvious : a viral micro bag that looks amazing in one photo and useless the next day. The fix uses celebrity proof points, but filters them through real-life needs and hard data.
Start with scenario, not hype. Commutes, dinners, travel. Then match the bag to what gets carried – phone, card case, keys, small makeup, e-reader. If capacity fails, style fades fast.
Resale metrics help as insurance. Models with documented retention – Hermès classics, Chanel flap families, core Prada nylon shapes – tend to weather trend swings when condition stays excellent. If budget sits lower, exploring mid-price cult favorites with consistent demand can be smarter than chasing a limited drop that will be hard to style.
Here is a simple cheat-sheet to steer the decision without killing the fun :
- Go neutral first : black, tan, chocolate, greige. Then add a color pop as a second bag.
- Test handles : shoulder and top handle options extend wear from day to night.
- Check weight in-store : heavy bags get abandoned by week two, definitly.
- Inspect structure : softly structured shapes like The Row Margaux move from office to weekend with ease.
- Confirm care needs : delicate leathers or exotics look stunning but require maintenance time.
- Verify resale history by model and size via Rebag, The RealReal, or auction archives before buying.
Put it all together and a pattern appears. Celebrities amplify what already works in real life – refined shapes, tactile materials, low-key branding. Data backs the endurance of the icons and explains why some new names break through while others stall. The missing piece is fit for your routine. Once capacity, weight and strap drop feel right, the star effect becomes a bonus, not a gamble.