The Balenciaga City bag is the most popular bag in the entire Balenciaga handbag collection. Designed and launched in 2000 by Nicolas Ghesquière (then Balenciaga Creative Director, now in the same spot at Louis Vuitton), he released the biker style City bag as the first item in the famous motorcycle bag collection by the brand.
Upon initial launch, the City bag and the entire motorcycle bag collection in general was not much of a hit. That was until Ghesquière handed out some free bags to some trend-setting celebrities at the time (think Kate Moss, Paris Hilton and Lauren Conrad) who made it very clear to the rest of the world that they loved the bag. The bag maintained its popularity for about five to six years, and then made a comeback in 2016 thanks to the next generation of it-girls, including celebrities like the Olsen twins and the Jenner sisters. In 2017, current Creative Director, Demna Gvasalia released a graffiti-covered version of the original City bag, and fans of the bag went over this too.
One thing that is clear, however, is that when it comes to the Balenciaga City bag, people tend to either love it or hate it. Fans of the bag love the distressed, biker chick feel that comes with it, and some also enjoy the fact that it seems to be labeled as a classic. On the other hand, fans of more chic, sturdy looking bags seem to think that it the bag looks cheap and lacks style.
Despite all the haters, twenty years after its initial release, it looks like the Balenciaga City bag is not going anywhere. It is the most popular bag in the Balenciaga collection and holds a decent re-sale value.
Balenciaga City Bag Features
If you fall within the fan category of the Balenciaga City bag, here is everything you need to know about the details.
Material: 100% lambskin leather with brass hardware detailing. Canvas lining on the interior.
Finishes: Plain leather, croc-embossed leather.
Colours: Wide range of colours available including black, pink, white, blue, classic green, lime green and graffiti covered.
Carry Mode: Via the double, hand-braided top-handles or the adjustable and removable crossbody strapped.
Pockets: 1 front zipped pocket, 1 inner zipped pocket and 1 inner double phone compartment.
Other Features: Detachable, leather encased mirror.
Sizes and Dimensions
| Size | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Balenciaga Nano City Bag | 5″ x 8″ x 2.5″ |
| Balenciaga Small City Bag | 7.5″ x 12″ x 4″ |
| Balenciaga Mini City Bag | 9.5″ x 6″ x 3″ |
| Balenciaga Classic City Bag | 15″ x 10.1″ x 5.8″ |