If there’s one handbag silhouette that feels the most universally divided, it’s the bucket bag. I myself have swung towards both sides of the pendulum, operating very much on a love-it-or-hate-it agenda.
In the early 2010s, when the Mansur Gavriel Bucket bag burst onto the scene, catapulting the bucket bag’s popularity, I was one of many waiting in online queues for a chance at one. Eventually, I did snag one—in brown with a baby (read: millennial) pink interior. I was obsessed.
The Problem With the Bucket Bag
Ultimately, I never reached for that bag as much as I should have. In theory, I loved it, but in reality, I found it never really worked for me. Maybe it was that I found the drawstring closure cumbersome or the silhouette kind of, well, messy, but after I stopped wearing that bag, I never bought another bucket bag again.
Still, I’m drawn to them from time to time, but typically something about the silhouette of a bucket bag always falls short for me, and apparently I’m not alone. I spoke to my friend Alex, who is a styling assistant and vintage dealer extraordinaire, about this very topic over the weekend.
Alex, who sources vintage from all over the world and through many different avenues, sourced two vintage bucket bags as part of an auction listing she won from the Brooklyn Museum—how amazing! One, a vintage Bottega Veneta bucket bag, and the second, a Versace. Both bags have been a hard sell, and we found ourselves wondering why.
The Mansur Gavriel Effect
The bucket bag trend peaked in the 2010s, in large part because of that exact Mansur Gavriel bag. At the time of its release, fashion was also (finally) moving away from the maximalism of the aughts, and Mansur Gavriel was the first of many to embrace a most minimalistic feel, and the bag’s simple silhouette fit the bill.
While bucket bags have seen resurgences in popularity since then (what goes around always comes back around), they haven’t reached that same peak popularity they once held, and it left me wondering if they ever will. The mid-2010s were such a specific moment in fashion, and the bucket bag trend was largely driven by the virality and cult appeal of the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag—a formula that is nearly impossible to replicate.
Can the Bucket Bag Have Another Moment?
Maybe that’s the problem with the bucket bag: it’s become so intrinsically tied to a very specific moment in fashion that it’s hard to imagine it having another one of its own. Trends can—and do—come back, but they rarely return in exactly the same way. So while I may continue to find myself drawn to the bucket bag every now and then, I’m not sure I’ll ever become a true convert. For now, I’ll remain firmly on the fence.
A shoulder bucket bag is my absolute favorite silhouette. I actually find it very practical to have it slightly open, I can stick my hand in it and find whatever I need while holding my phone or doing something else with the other 🙂 For this reason, I have a nylon prada bucket that has beaten all cost per wear records. I do concede the only downside is when you are in larger cities with pickpockets; that drawstring doesn’t feel so secure.
It’s about to have a moment, imo. It all started with the Chanel 25, which is a bucket, also Chanel just released a new goooorgeous bucket for 26b bag, Celine never abandoned the silhouette, LV brought out the Noe trunk, Chloe and Versace introduced a bucket in 26, and that’s just off the top of my head.
Personally, I do love a bucket bag. I own the Celine 16 bucket, tThe Celine Seau Sangle, the Delvaux pinwheel shoulder, The Acne studio Musubi mini (2 of them) and I recently purchased the Chanel bucket from 26b.
The bucket is timeless. A bucket from any era can be worn and look current if styled properly. Is it the most practical of bags? Only if you’re a shoulder girl, and if the strap is the right length, in which case it is heaven.
Bucket and hobo bags are my absolute favorites. These are the first silhouettes that catch my attention when I walk into a store. For me, it’s true love, and I find that they never go out of style. I’ll take the effortless charm of a bucket bag over a tote any day.
I adore the bucket bag silhouette and like you had that EXACT Mansur Gavriel bucket bag (along with the black/flama tote). However, I used the bucket only once before selling it off. While I love the idea of a bucket bag, they just do not seem practical. It always took me five minutes to find anything that I looking for (not great at the cash wrap with 10 impatient customers behind me waiting to check out as well). I tried a bag insert, pouches, you name it. No success. If I could figure out how to access my belongings in the bag without taking an eternity, I would complete my LV heritage collection and purchase a Noe. Hoping someone can help a girl out…..LOL!
Look into the purse organizer inserts- they are a lifesaver for those large, oversized bags!!! They are on Amazon and other sites but they would definitely solve your issue. Also they are designed for each specific bag (especially the more popular ones) so you should be able to find one that works. I found one for a round bottom bucket bag that fits perfectly!
Thanks Darvi! I did purchase one back in the day. I am sure that they are much better now. I will take a look. Maybe I will finally get to purchase a NOE from LV, although I really wanted a vintage/pre-loved version. My problem is that all of the pre-loved Noe bags that I have seen are so trashed and the prices are still high. Not sure if I want to purchase a pre-loved with good canvas and have it repaired will all new vachetta or just cave and purchase a new one with inferior canvas. First world problems I guess……LOL!! Have a great day!
I like bucket bags; when I was in high school (in the mid to late-1980s) the Coach duffle sac was very popular (I had the smaller shoulder sac but still a bucket silhouette). Today I own a few of them and I use the new purse organizers to keep it from becoming a cavern. They make a lot of nice purse organizers for whatever shape bucket bag that you have these days. Hmmm, I think I will switch to a bucket bag for the rest of the week, lol!
The modern bucket bag was invented in 1932 by LV. Today almost 100 years later they still sell a steady volume of bucket bags. So it’s definitely a classic and here to stay. Personally I think the reason most people regret buying one is that they buy one that’s too large for their things and body. They are definitely easier to carry and access than a oversized tote bag.
Not for me. I finally gave away my last one about two years ago. Felt like my stuff was in a trash bag. As much as I like the look especially in the summer, I find it to not be functional. I’ll just admire it from afar.
Generally, I prefer silhouettes like flap bags that hug closer to the body, especially if they have pockets on the outside big enough for your phone (why is this so rare of a feature?), buckets tend to make me wider and thus bump into things so I only really like to hand-carry them. I love the in-the-loop bag by Hermes, it’s so lightweight, perfect little hand-carry bucket, big enough to slip my phone inside and carry my essentials. Anything larger and I wouldn’t be into it, just too bulky and a black hole.
With any bag, styling and function really matter. I recall The Row’s popular Park tote which to me is a large-sized bucket bag. Also the Neverfull can fold into a bucket-like shape. I think those types of bags look really nice because they hug into the body and put focus on the body’s silhoutte. They also easily tuck under the arm which make them functional to carry. The sturdier bucket bags may need to hang lower on the body so they are not getting in the way of the arm. The smaller “mini-buckets” like the Picotin and similar-looking bags from Songmont and Ralph Lauren look dantier and can be easily dressed up and down.
As long as it doesnt have a drawstring closure its good for me and of course use an insert