The It-Bag Comeback: Four Icons, One Big Mood

London, early rush hour: a woman steps onto the Central line with a Céline Phantom tucked nonchalantly beneath her arm, its wings flaring like a quiet ta-da. Heads turn—not in the “what’s that?” way, but with the faint smile of recognition. It’s the feeling of a song you haven’t heard in years, and suddenly remember every word. That’s the mood of 2025/26: a full-circle return to the era of It bags—only this time, we know exactly why we loved them.

The revival isn’t about cosplay nostalgia. It’s about utility with charisma—bags that can hold a life yet carry a story. Across Paris and Instagram feeds alike, four names keep resurfacing: Celine Phantom, Chloé Paddington, Fendi Spy, and Balenciaga Le City. Each one is being reissued with care, edited for today, but unmistakably itself.

Phantom: the wide-winged whisper

When the Celine Phantom first arrived in 2011 under Phoebe Philo, it was a revelation: a carry-all with sculptural wings and that cheeky “smile” on the front. Now, under Michael Rider, it’s back for Spring/Summer 2026—shorter, wider, and a touch more playful, the smile zip arcing a little higher in black, chestnut and Yves Klein blue. On the runway it felt like a wink to the 2010s, but off-runway it reads as pure common sense: a big, beautiful bag in a world that’s over micro-purses that can’t even host a phone.

Part of the Phantom’s allure is the way it anchors an outfit. Throw it against sharp denim and a blazer and it makes minimalism feel generous; pair it with tailoring and it signals a different kind of power—quiet, roomy, unfazed. You don’t pose with a Phantom so much as live with it.

Paddington: boho with a heartbeat

If the Phantom is stillness, the Chloé Paddington is movement—the soft thud of slouchy leather, the jangle of that oversized padlock that once swung from every cool girl’s elbow. Born in 2005 in the Philo era, the bag returns under Chemena Kamali for Autumn/Winter 2025 almost exactly as you remember it, only lighter in the hand, with a kinder shoulder drop and a secure zip. On the catwalk it appeared in burgundy, blue-grey and khaki; online, six colourways beckon, tan among them, like an old friend.

What’s changed isn’t the silhouette so much as the climate: the boho conversation is back, but stripped of pastiche. Today’s Paddington asks to be worn, not fussed over—over a leather jacket and easy trousers, with tall boots or trainers, padlock glinting like a knowing aside. It’s the anti-logo logo bag, loved because it ages—vegetal leather that gathers patina and memories in equal measure.

Spy: the secret kept

The Fendi Spy always had a plot twist. Launched in 2005, it hid a pocket beneath its flap—a tiny secret for lipstick, love notes, or simply the pleasure of knowing it’s there. For the brand’s centenary, the Spy returns in two sizes, from supple leathers and sorbet pastels to shearling and even mink-inlaid fantasies, its twisted handles looping like a flourish at the end of a signature.

On the shoulder it slouches with intention—less precious, more “come with me”. You see it worn cross-body on a crisp white shirt, or tucked tight under a coat, the hobo curve soft against sharp lapels. The charm hook is a 2025 touch (one talisman, not five), but the essence is the same: craft with a wink. It’s luxury that doesn’t explain itself, which is precisely why it endures.

Le City: moto forever

Before “Y2K” had a name, Balenciaga’s Le City had a swagger—chevre lambskin that looked broken-in from day one, whipstitched handles and those unmistakable studs. Nicolas Ghesquière’s 2001 masterpiece—later dubbed the Motorcycle bag—didn’t ask permission; it made every outfit look cooler by proximity. Demna’s modern take keeps the attitude while refining the build: a sleeker line, 25-panel construction, removable strap, sizes from mini to large, colours from disciplined black to zingy lime and lavender.

What hasn’t changed is its rebellious elegance. Le City can do school run and red carpet, Soho coffee and late-night cab. Sling it with a trench and ballet flats for Kate-Moss energy; clash it with crisp shirting for a clean-dirty contrast that feels very now. The leather will crease, the corners will soften, and that’s the point: it’s a bag that lives with you and looks better for it.

Why now?

Fashion’s time machine is never random. The pendulum swings between preciousness and practicality; right now, it’s stuck on both. We want bags that hold laptops and lunch, but also make us feel something. These four do exactly that. They’re talismans from a decade when personal style felt intimate and a little unruly—and they return at a moment craving texture, memory and ease.

There’s also the thrill of recognition. A Phantom on the Tube, a Paddington tucked under a café chair, a Spy peeking from a wool coat, a City bag slung over a jumper—each sighting is a breadcrumb back to who we were when we first wanted them. Only this time, the desire is tempered by discernment. We understand hardware, stitching, grain. We know the difference between patina and peeling. We’re voting for icons that work as hard as we do.

If you’re hunting one down

Go where stories live: trusted pre-loved platforms and vintage specialists who show their work—heat-stamps, serials, hardware close-ups, edges and interiors in full daylight. Expect honest wear on older Paddingtons (that lock was hefty), softened corners on City bags, gentle creasing on Phantoms, and tidy braiding on Spy handles. The best pieces don’t look new; they look right.

And then wear them—often. Let the Phantom swallow your day, let the Paddington swing, keep the Spy’s secret to yourself, and let Le City collect a few scuffs along the way. That’s how these bags were always meant to be loved: not as museum pieces, but as companions.

The It-bag is back—not as a fad, but as a feeling. Choose the one that still makes your heart skip, and let it carry you forward.