Here they come: The 8 Designer It Bags of 2026

It may only be January, but the spring/summer 2026 collections are already hitting the stores, and that can only mean one thing: The most viral-It bags are starting to appear, and my fashion editor nerves are tingling. We first got a look at these new silhouettes on the runways last fall, but now that top brands are bringing them into the wild, it’s becoming clearer and clearer which designer bags are destined to be big. They may be new to the market, but I can pretty much guarantee that these eight styles will continue to define the rest of the year. It’s a tall order, but based on the initial feedback I’ve seen from celebrities, insiders, and retail professionals, these are full of power for the It thing.

“From the S/S 26 collections, there are two clear directions for bags,” said Barbara Janeczek, health care manager at global fashion shopping center Lest. “On the other hand, we’re seeing functional silhouettes gaining momentum, like Bottega’s Ciao Ciao bag,” and, I might add, the even newer Barbara Tote. On the other hand, consumers are gravitating towards bags with a vintage feel, including reissued styles like the Mombasa. Bowling bags are also up 51% on the month, with Balenciaga’s Bolero Bowling Bag seeing a +66% increase since the end of December. Similarly, The Row’s Peggy Clutch is also up 67% in January.”