Why Everyone’s Obsessed With Coach’s Viral Brooklyn Bag

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For years now, the mantra for handbag makers has been “the smaller, the better.” This craze for all things très petit peaked in 2018 when Jacquemus’s Le Chiquito bag became the It Bag for celebrities like Rihanna and Kim Kardashian — despite the fact that, at a mere 4.5 inches by 3.5 inches, it holds your keys, a few credit cards, and maybe a lipstick.

The mini trend kicked off an arms race between luxury brands to see who could make their staple bags the smallest. (Chanel sold a trunk of four shrunken-down bags in 2020, and the Hermès mini Kelly is a must-have for any TikTok influencer worth their weight in Epsom leather.) But the laws of fashion dictate that the pendulum must eventually swing in the other direction, making it a matter of time before someone broke from the pack and returned to the kinds of bags you can cram your whole life into — a “ludicrously capacious bag,” to borrow a phrase coined by Succession’s Tom Wambsgans. In many ways, it’s no surprise that that brave brand chartering this new course in handbag size would be Coach, helmed by Stuart Vevers.

“Coach has one of the most successful rebranding stories I’ve seen in my career,” says Jessica Andrews, senior content director of PS. “It engages with the zeitgeist in an authentic and intuitive way, from Coachtopia’s focus on circular fashion to its viral banana- and heart-shaped handbags that are always trending on TikTok. The new Coach is cool, innovative, and accessible, while appealing to the values-driven shopper.”

Coach’s latest hit is the Brooklyn bag, which was number two on Lyst’s Index of the Hottest Products for Q3 of 2024. Debuting in Summer 2024, the style took off the moment supermodel Bella Hadid was papped in the oversized brown suede version earlier this summer. That’s when it caught the eye of Hillary Kerr, chief content officer of Who What Wear and Marie Claire.

“There’s something about the supersized proportions that just felt very relevant, and I appreciated the simplicity of the design too. A big bag can really wear you, but this one was so sleek, it felt very cool and complimentary,” she says. “Plus, with everything going on in fashion and the resurgence of bohemian style, I thought it was a great option for dipping into that vibe without being too trendy or costumey.”

The Brooklyn is different from the back-breaking styles you might remember from the aughts: Unlike those totes, which were packed to the gills with decorative flourishes and heavily adorned handles, it’s composed of just a few pieces of leather, making it feather-light when empty. It’s sleek and simplified: a hint of boho, but still structured enough to feel fresh. Best of all? It’s comfortable, thanks to the wide shoulder strap, and fits a ton. “It’s kind of wild — I forgot how useful it is to have a bag that carries more than a mini wallet and my keys,” Kerr says. In other words, the Brooklyn is a bag that stands out from the pack.

“It’s oversized instead of mini; it has a minimalist shape compared to the [Loewe] puzzle bag, for example; and it’s free of logos,” says Andrews. “Its greatest distinction is that it fuses style and functionality in a way that epitomizes ‘not trying too hard,’ and that’s everyone’s vibe these days.”

An added bonus is that, like many of Coach’s other styles, the Brooklyn offers plenty of opportunities for personalization, meaning you can make it as simple or as ornate as you’d like. There are loops on one side and at the insides for attaching chains and charms, as the brand often does on its runways. And, while it comes in a range of sizes, fashion editors are flocking to the 39 size as seen on Hadid. 

“For me, the key to this bag is the exaggerated shape, so I was Team 39 from the moment I saw it. It reminds me a bit of my go-to denim jacket, which is by Khaite,” says Kerr. “Both are really simple pieces, but their unexpected proportions take them from functional to being a clear fashion choice.”

Since it’s been a while since big bags have been trending, it may take a moment to figure out how to style the Brooklyn in your own wardrobe. But, as the bag itself proves, simple is best, and the larger sizes naturally lend themselves to daylight hours when we have to tote around the most stuff.

“I view this bag as more of a day bag, so it would be a bag I use to run errands with or go to the office/work,” says stylist Ashley Afriyie, adding that she loves that the Brooklyn comes in “classic and timeless colorways that will never go out of style but also beautiful shades that you may typically never buy.”

I personally have been surgically attached to my Brooklyn since the brand kindly gifted me one back in August. It’s the most practical handbag I’ve owned in at least a decade. I use it to schlep my laptop to a café when I need to work outside of my house, and I’ve stuffed it with things I need to return while running errands. (And, yes, to circle back to the Succession of it all: I did once slip a pair of flat shoes for the subway in my Brooklyn.) A “What’s in My Bag” video would likely take me an hour to film. 

But the thing I love the most about it is that the more I wear it and the more I actually use it, the better the leather looks. This is a bag built to last, which means even when those micro-mini styles come back into fashion, I can pack my Brooklyn away and wait for that pendulum to swing back my way.

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This article was originally published on refinery29.com.