Some bags have a moment. The Balenciaga Le City has had several, and more impressively, it has never really left the conversation. Twenty-five years after it first entered the fashion zeitgeist, the slouchy, studded carryall with tassel-adorned zippers remains a fixture in the wardrobes of the chicest. Kate Moss carried it, Nicole Richie collected it, and Mary-Kate Olsen made the case for a specific colorway—mint green.
In 2001, Nicolas Ghesquière introduced the City Bag, but it was seen as an outlier. In a world dominated by polished, structured styles, this slouchy silhouette with its distressed leather and logo-free design challenged the norms. Balenciaga executives weren’t entirely convinced, so the brand made only 25.
However, Kate Moss spotted it backstage at one of the brand’s runway shows and ordered one for herself. Her endorsement changed the executives’ minds, helped bring the bag into full production, and the rest is history. Soon, it was everywhere on Olsen and Richie (as mentioned), as well as Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicky Hilton, and more.
In 2024, Balenciaga reintroduced the silhouette as Le City, tapping into renewed interest in easy, wearable bags. Original fans remained devoted, but a new group of stylish A-listers like Bella Hadid, Sarah Pidgeon, and Tate McRae also got their hands on it.
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Now, as the bag turns 25, Balenciaga is giving the Le City the kind of celebration an icon deserves. The house has teamed up with artist Damien Hirst on a limited-edition collection inspired by his signature motifs: multicolored dots arranged to form a simplified butterfly. It is also honoring the bag with exhibitions around the world, including in Paris, where visitors can see the first prototype alongside pieces from Balenciaga collectors like Richie, who owned it in pretty much every color.
Talking about Richie, she also fittingly stars in the brand’s anniversary campaign. “My Balenciaga bags have been with me through every era of my life,” she says in the brand’s press release. “They’ve only gotten better with age, and you know what? So have I!”
The Le City hasn’t just survived the fashion cycle; it’s sidestepped it. Keep scrolling to see how some of the chicest celebrities have and continue to style the iconic Balenciaga bag, and shop a few of our favorite colorways.
Balenciaga Le City Bag on Celebrities In the Aughts
(Image credit: Balenciaga)
WHO: Nicole Richie
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WHO: Mary-Kate Olsen
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WHO: Chloë Sevigny
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WHO: Jennifer Aniston
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WHO: Kate Moss
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WHO: Gisele Bündchen
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WHO: Clemence Poesy
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WHO: Sarah Jessica Parker
Balenciaga Le City Bag on Celebrities Now
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WHO: Sarah Pidgeon
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WHO: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
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WHO: Tate McRae
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WHO: Claudia Schiffer
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WHO: Bella Hadid
Shop the Balenciaga Le City Bag
Balenciaga
Le City Bag Medium in Black
Balenciaga
Damien Hirst Le City Bag Medium in Black
Balenciaga
Le City Bag Medium in Army Green
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Le City Bag Medium in Camel
Balenciaga
Damien Hirst Le City Bag Medium in Dark Burgundy
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Le City Bag Small in Optic White
Balenciaga
Damien Hirst Le City Bag Large in Army Green
Balenciaga
Le City Bag Mini in Dark Noix
Balenciaga
Damien Hirst Le City Bag Small in Optic White
Balenciaga
Le City Bag Large in Black
Balenciaga
Le City Bag Medium in Berry Red
Balenciaga
Women’s Le City Bag Mini in Black
Balenciaga
Men’s Le City Bag Large in Light Espresso
