Some accessories capture a moment in fashion. Others become part of its history. When Balenciaga introduced the Le City Bag in 2001, few could have predicted that its slouchy silhouette, distinctive hardware and rebellious attitude would help define an entire era of style. Twenty-five years later, the House is celebrating that legacy with a programme of global experiences, a star-studded campaign and a creative partnership with contemporary artist Damien Hirst.
The story begins with Nicolas Ghesquière, who designed the original Le City as an alternative to the structured, logo-heavy handbags dominating the early 2000s. Inspired by the classic motorcycle jacket, the bag combined supple Arena lambskin with decorative buckles, elongated leather zipper pulls, whipstitched handles and distinctive metal studs.
It was relaxed, deliberately understated and designed to move with its wearer. In an era obsessed with conspicuous branding, Le City offered something different.
Its rise to cult status was almost accidental. An early prototype caught the attention of Kate Moss, whose enthusiasm helped convince the House to put it into production. Soon, the bag became a favourite among fashion’s most photographed figures, from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to Nicole Richie, Gisele Bündchen and Sarah Jessica Parker.
The fashion press dubbed it the Anti It Bag. Ironically, that only made it more desirable.
For its 25th anniversary, Balenciaga has invited British artist Damien Hirst to reinterpret the Le City through his unmistakable visual language.
The limited-edition collection brings together two of Hirst’s best-known artistic signatures: his multicoloured spots and butterfly motifs. A new pattern transforms perfectly circular dots into the simplified silhouette of a butterfly, while other designs incorporate intricate wing-inspired mandalas, embroidered patches and the swirling colours of his Spin Paintings.
The result is a meeting of two creative worlds, where the bag’s familiar silhouette becomes a canvas for contemporary art.
The collaboration extends across mini, small, medium and large Le City styles, alongside wallets, pouches, card holders and miniature bag charms. Each carries a playful handwritten signature: Damienciaga.
More than a decorative exercise, the partnership reflects a shared interest in transformation, symbolism and the ability of familiar objects to acquire new cultural meaning.
The anniversary celebrations extend well beyond the collection itself.
Launching yesterday, Balenciaga’s two-chapter campaign brings together personalities whose relationships with Le City span generations and continents.
In Paris, Isabelle Huppert reflects on the bag’s lived-in appeal, while Nicole Richie revisits her long history with Le City in Los Angeles. Rachel Sennott, footballer Hugo Ekitike and actor-singer Cecilia Boey also feature, each offering a personal interpretation of what the accessory represents.
The campaign celebrates the idea that an icon becomes more interesting through the lives of the people who carry it.
That same philosophy informs Le City House, a series of immersive installations opening in Balenciaga flagships worldwide.
Beginning at the House’s historic Paris address on Avenue George V until November 19, the experience brings together archival designs, photographs, press clippings and personal objects from collectors.
Visitors can explore the bag’s evolution through fashion history, discover the Damien Hirst collaboration and access special personalisation and care services by appointment, including handle re-lacing, custom monogramming and leather restoration assessments.
Further installations will take place in New York, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing.
The anniversary also offers an opportunity to revisit Le City’s more recent transformations. Following Demna’s reinterpretations through the Neo City and Le Cagole, the original silhouette returned in 2024. In 2025, Pierpaolo Piccioli introduced a more luxurious runway interpretation during his debut collection for Balenciaga.
Yet what makes Le City remarkable is not simply its ability to be reinvented. It is the fact that, 25 years after its introduction, the original design still feels relevant.
In an industry constantly searching for the next big thing, Balenciaga’s Le City is a reminder that genuine icons rarely need to shout for attention. Sometimes, they simply get better with age.
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