First introduced in 1993 as a lightweight solution to classic leatherwork, Longchamp claims Le Pliage – named after the French for ‘folding’ – changed the history of the brand forever. It’s crafted from washable nylon, includes sleek leather straps and – hence the name – can be folded down to quite a tiny size, making it a great extra shopper to have on hand or a go-to travel option.

All of these traits, and the fact it costs much less than many other luxury labels – the original currently for £120 – attracted several famous faces in the late 2000s and early 2010s: Kate Middleton, Katie Holmes, Beyoncé and Amy Adams among them. By this time, the design had expanded to include a huge range of colours and sizes, making Le Pliage quite the collector’s item.

Now, nearly 10 years later, Le Pliage was as the ninth ‘hottest product’ on fashion search engine Lyst’s Index for the second quarter of 2023, and the influx of social media attention proves the style has regained its It bag status. We’re crediting it to the huge Y2K fashion revival, accessible luxury price point and the continued evolutions of the bag, including an increased sustainability focus and limited edition collab designs.

So, it’s time to pull your old Le Pliage out of storage or perhaps treat yourself to a new one. If you’re feeling inspired, we’ve added a handful of similar styles below.

Longchamp’s Le Pliage is back to being the ultimate It bag, here’s why