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Unpacking The Death Of The Cross-Body Bag
Let’s unpack this. There are a few theories as to why no one – at least no one in our orbit – is buying a classic cross-body in the way they were when, say, Phoebe Philo’s Trio blew up back in 2011. 1. Fashion shows are not a barometer of what real people are shopping, because editors and influencers tend to hop in and out of a car with just a phone and a Rhode lip balm for company (leaving their bag of crap with their driver). 2. Everyone is spending all their money on Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel accessories. 3. Straps tend to cut a person’s outfit in half and aren’t worth sacrificing a good street-style shot for. 4. A shoulder style or a squishy clutch tucked under the arm is far more discreet and suggests you belong to a world in which it’s entirely unchic to shout about trophy buys. 5. Cross-bodies just suddenly feel… boring.
The stats back all of this up, by the way. According to shopping search platform Lyst, interest in the style has dropped 27 per cent month on month, and overall, 79 per cent this year. In their place? Shoulder bags take the top spot, followed by totes, backpacks(!), top-handle styles and clutches.
Net-a-Porter buying manager, Lydia Zacharis, has witnessed the anti-cross-body movement first hand. “We are seeing a shift to smaller, underarm clutches – The Row’s Peggy and Khaite’s Audrey clutches have been clear standouts, as well as the beautiful satin pouches from Sophie Buhai,” says Zacharis, before highlighting some of the big-time totes rising up the ranks: “Oversized, slouchy styles are also having a moment, with great traction on Saint Laurent’s archival Mombasa, Gucci’s Giglio tote and Bottega Veneta’s Veneta bag, as well as Loewe’s revisited large Amazona 180 from Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s runway debut, which already has a wait list.”
Despite a barrage of newness following fashion’s round of musical chairs last year, the bags haven’t popped off as much as the pumps. Chanel’s ladylike two-tone heels became many editors’ entire personalities at Paris Fashion Week, as insiders hunted down the first Matthieu Blazy drop (contributing editor Olivia Singer said her group chats became unhinged), while Dior’s rosette mules, for spring/summer 2026, and lily pad stilettos, for autumn/winter 2026, garnered far more traction on social media than the leather goods. As the price of luxury fashion climbs higher and higher, people have to really weigh up (first-world problems) what to invest in. Shoes are, currently, walking all over handbags, and cross-bodies are at the bottom of the bag leaderboard.
Don’t consign your Loewe Puzzles and Gucci Jackies to Vestiaire just yet, though. Fashion, as we know, is the same fickle industry that recently declared carrying handbags completely open to be the thing, and sees – as per fashion and jewellery features editor, Laura Hawkins – “having zero items on your person as the epitome of chic.” Before long, the failsafe cross-body – the practical mum on the run of handbags – will be shoulder to shoulder with the It-bags once again.
