Forget the briefcase, because today's coolest men are carrying handbags.
Pictures via JMEnternational/JMEnternational for BRIT Awards/Getty Images and by Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
For years, the idea of a man carrying a handbag was enough to spark debate. Now, it is becoming one of the biggest luxury fashion statements around. Celebrities, athletes and designers are turning the so-called man bag into a must-have accessory.
Welcome to the era of the purse guy
The transformation has been hard to miss, particularly following the latest Paris and Milan Men’s Fashion Weeks, where bags were no longer treated as practical extras. Instead, they became central to the look. Designers intended for them to add personality, polish and a serious dose of luxury.
The rise of the purse guy
Actor Jacob Elordi has become one of the most recognisable faces of the movement. The actor is regularly photographed carrying luxury bags, including pieces from Bottega Veneta.
A beautifully crafted bag can work just as effortlessly with relaxed streetwear as it does with tailored clothing.
Then there is Pharrell Williams, the musician, producer, and Men’s Creative Director for Louis Vuitton. He has pushed the conversation even further through his work at Louis Vuitton. His colourful Speedy P9 bags have helped transform a traditionally feminine fashion conversation into something distinctly modern and masculine.
Rapper ASAP Rocky has never been afraid to challenge fashion conventions. His gender-fluid approach to dressing has included statement bags, including an eye-catching Chanel leopard-print design. This shows that accessories can be playful rather than predictable.
Football’s biggest names are also getting involved. Erling Haaland has been spotted travelling with luxury bags from Dolce & Gabbana and Hermès, while embracing sleek Dior designs.
Basketball star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has taken the trend into another league. His tunnel walk looks regularly feature statement Louis Vuitton bags and Hermès pieces. As a result, the journey has become an extension of the runway.
Meanwhile, rapper Travis Scott, Harry Styles, and Erling Haaland continue to blur the boundaries between streetwear and luxury. For example, Scott has famously embraced oversized bags such as the Hermès Birkin.
Bigger, bolder and built to be seen
The bags themselves are changing too
Oversized leather totes are replacing conventional briefcases, offering enough room for laptops, gym gear and everyday essentials while still looking polished. Smaller daytime clutches and leather pouches are also moving beyond eveningwear. Meanwhile, soft, worn leather satchels are giving modern menswear a relaxed vintage feel.
Crossbody bags remain popular for men who prefer a hands-free option, particularly in urban settings. At the more adventurous end of the spectrum, designers are experimenting with playful shapes, bright colours and ocean-inspired designs.
The message is clear. A bag is no longer simply something to carry your belongings in. It is part of the outfit, and increasingly, part of the identity.
The new masculine accessory
Perhaps the biggest shift is that men are no longer asking whether carrying a handbag looks masculine. They are deciding which one best expresses their style.
From oversized totes to tiny clutches and luxurious crossbody bags, the modern man bag is about confidence, convenience and individuality.
And if Jacob Elordi, Pharrell Williams, Harry Styles, Haaland, Mbappé, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott are anything to go by, the purse guy is not a passing trend.
He has officially arrived.
