November 11, 2026

Balenciaga’s Le City Turns 25: From Y2K Favourite to Fashion Icon

Posted by Catherine Kallon

Balenciaga kicked off the 25th anniversary celebrations of its iconic Le City bag on November 10, marking a quarter-century since Nicolas Ghesquière introduced the motorcycle-inspired design in 2001.

The Y2K Le City Girls

Originally championed by Kate Moss, the bag became a defining accessory of the 2000s, with Gisele Bündchen, the Olsen twins, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton among its famous fans. Following its relaunch in 2024, Le City is back in the spotlight with anniversary events, exclusive releases and a limited-edition collaboration with artist Damien Hirst.

  • Clémence Poésy wearing a loose taupe T-shirt, denim shorts and tan suede boots, carrying a black Balenciaga Le City bag over her shoulder.
    Courtesy of Balenciaga
  • Kate Moss wearing a black top, blue jeans and brown knee-high boots, carrying a black Balenciaga Le City bag in an archival street-style photograph.
    Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images / / Courtesy of Balenciaga
  • Nicole Richie wearing oversized sunglasses, a purple printed top and denim shorts, carrying a black Balenciaga Le City bag during the 2000s.
    RAMEY/XPOSURE / Courtesy of Balenciaga
  • Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a black textured coat, skinny jeans and ankle boots, carrying an oversized grey Balenciaga Le City bag in New York.
    Ray Tamarra/Getty Images / Courtesy of Balenciaga
  • Gisele Bündchen wearing a black leather jacket over a white top with grey jeans, carrying a black Balenciaga Le City bag.
    XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM / Courtesy of Balenciaga
  • Mary-Kate Olsen wearing a black coat with a fur collar and aviator sunglasses, carrying a pale green Balenciaga Le City bag and a takeaway coffee.
    SplashNews.com / Courtesy of Balenciaga

To celebrate the milestone, Balenciaga brought together a host of celebrities at 10 Avenue George V in Paris for the opening of the city’s first Le City House.

Clémence Poésy wearing a loose taupe T-shirt, denim shorts and tan suede boots, carrying a black Balenciaga Le City bag over her shoulder.
Na-Kel Smith wears a cobalt-blue Balenciaga Spring 2027 zip-up jacket with a matching belt, white wide-leg trousers and black shoes, holding a blue printed Le City bag at Le City House Paris.

A Welcome Dose of Colour

Of course, Lori Harvey would catch my eye in this Balenciaga Spring 2027 look. The vibrant orange sleeveless top, complete with a long trailing panel, delivers the dopamine hit my eyes have been craving on this grey November day. And we can’t overlook her matching Le City bag, featuring an explosion of colour across the front.

Na-Kel Smith had a similar idea, matching his blue Le City bag to his Balenciaga Spring 2027 jacket. The bag’s multicoloured print adds even more personality. Of all the anniversary designs on display, these two prints are easily my favourites.

Balenciaga Spring 2027
Balenciaga Spring 2027
Clémence Poésy wears a sleeveless black mini dress, sheer black tights and pointed pumps, carrying an embellished black Balenciaga Le City bag at the Paris anniversary event.
Isabelle Huppert wears a black leather jacket over a black midi dress with a textured hem, pointed shoes and oversized sunglasses, carrying a white polka-dot Balenciaga Le City bag in Paris.

Black, Two Ways

French actresses Clémence Poésy, one of the original Le City girls, and Isabelle Huppert both opted for black.

Clémence kept things typically simple in a sleeveless mini Balenciaga dress, leaving her embellished black Le City bag to provide the detail.

Isabelle’s all-black Balenciaga look provided the perfect canvas for her white Le City bag, decorated with colourful dots, to take centre stage. I’m surprised she didn’t opt for one of the black bags, although I’m glad she didn’t.

Balenciaga Spring 2027
Balenciaga Spring 2027
Naomi Ackie wears a sleeveless black leather top with a sculpted peplum waist, wide-leg black trousers and pointed shoes, carrying a black Balenciaga Le City bag with colourful accents in Paris.
Florence Hunt wears an oversized ivory Balenciaga jacket with a white feathered mini skirt and black pointed pumps, carrying a pale pink Le City bag at the Paris anniversary celebration.

When the Outfit Outshines the Bag

Naomi Ackie‘s sleeveless leather Balenciaga top, with its sculpted peplum waist, almost completely upstages her black Le City bag with colourful accents. That’s quite an achievement at an event dedicated to the accessory.

I can’t say I’m as enthused by Florence Hunt’s Balenciaga look. Even with the feathered mini skirt and pink Le City bag adding some personality, the outfit as a whole feels disjointed to me.

Balenciaga Spring 2027 two runway looks
Balenciaga Spring 2027
Sarah Pidgeon wears a white short-sleeved top with a black asymmetric leather high-low skirt and pointed heels, holding a blue Balenciaga Le City bag at Le City House Paris.

Minimalism with a Twist

Sarah Pidgeon’s love of minimalism was on display once again, but her asymmetric leather high-low Balenciaga skirt was anything but predictable, giving an otherwise understated look a more directional feel. Her blue Le City bag provided a welcome splash of colour.

Balenciaga Spring 2027
Balenciaga Spring 2027
Nicole Richie sitting in the driver's seat of a white car, holding an orange Balenciaga Le City bag with a multicoloured print outside the window for the 25th anniversary Los Angeles campaign.
Nicole Richie posing beside a white convertible wearing a mustard-yellow draped top and blue jeans, carrying an orange printed Balenciaga Le City bag for the Los Angeles anniversary campaign.

The Le City Girls: Then and Now

The anniversary celebrations also include a new Los Angeles campaign starring Nicole Richie and Rachel Sennott, bringing together two generations of Le City fans.

Nicole’s involvement feels particularly fitting, considering how frequently she was photographed with her Le City bag during the 2000s. Now, she’s back carrying the accessory that became such a recognisable part of her personal style, alongside Rachel, who represents a new generation of celebrity fans.

Rachel Sennott wearing a pale pink gown with floral detailing at the shoulder, carrying a white Balenciaga Le City bag covered in colourful polka dots on a Los Angeles street.
Close-up of a white Balenciaga Le City bag decorated with colourful polka dots, resting on a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in the 25th anniversary Los Angeles campaign.

The campaign also revisits the paparazzi-style photography that helped make Le City famous in the first place, bringing the story full circle 25 years later.

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Balenciaga, Florence Hunt, Isabelle Huppert, Lori Harvey, Naomi Ackie, Parker Posey, Runway To Red Carpet, Sarah Pidgeon