Ludicrously capacious bags are all over the men’s runways

Even if you haven’t watched Succession, chances are you’re familiar with the viral scene featuring the ‘ludicrously capacious bag’. Cousin Greg’s date Bridget arrives at Logan Roy’s birthday party carrying a checked Burberry tote so large, so conspicuous, and so out of step with the room’s devotion to ‘quiet luxury’, it instantly became a punchline. Three years down the line, though, thanks to Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, we’re witnessing quite the turnaround in our attitude to gargantuan bags. Designers showcasing their spring/summer 2027 menswear collections across the fashion capitals seem to have decided that bigger is, unequivocally, better.

In Milan, the oversized bag took on many forms. Ralph Lauren showed refined takes on the duffel, which, for a lot of us, is the go-to bag when escaping for a short weekend getaway. There were some crafted in leather, yes, but the majority of the Polo looks were styled with holiday-ready carryalls featuring colourful Madras checks, and canvas and patchwork totes came with sweaters casually looped through the straps. Paul Smith showed XL totes in woven leather, while duffels were also part of the Giorgio Armani runway, where they came in sumptuous leather and suede. Dolce & Gabbana went maximalist with crystal-embellished raffia designs alongside leather shoppers in vivid colours that wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of The White Lotus. At Thom Browne, the Bolton weekenders with pushlock flaps in new colourways were structured, complementing the tailoring.

The big-bag brigade didn’t stop in Milan; it continued to Paris. We know Pharrell Williams loves a good bag. At his latest Louis Vuitton outing, when the models weren’t hauling surfboards or pushing down trunk-laden trollies, they carried bags of all sizes, including styles with the new ‘Acid Rain Monogram’ with colourful embroidered elements. The following day at Dior, alongside distressed knitwear, twinkling trousers, and whisper-light sheer tailoring, Jonathan Anderson also gave us a strong offering of accessories. There were messenger bags with clever C and D buckles, a hobo with a fresh, enlarged iteration of the Dior Oblique motif, and a woven Book Tote. Spacious carryalls and duffels were spotted at Auralee and Lemaire too.

So much for declarations that scream “the handbag is over”. If the recent runways are anything to go by, bags are going nowhere. In fact, they’re only getting bigger—and quite literally. Bags the size of kitchen sinks have recently been seen on the likes Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, and of course, Jacob Elordi, the patron saint of men’s bags. Thanks to the FIFA World Cup, we’re now also privy to Erling Haaland’s collection of supersized Birkins and Brazil star Lamine Yamal’s penchant for Chanel. Now, it’s time for the men to schlep. Give them a bag that holds a laptop, a book they may or may not read, and an emotional support water bottle. If being prepared for every single life eventuality makes our style “ludicrous”, then go ahead and call Tom Wambsgans, because we’re going heavy this season.