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The return of the it-bag that defined an era!
By María Fideu
January 12, 2026
Fashion is not just a cycle; it is a constant conversation between the archive and the present. If the aesthetics of recent years have taught us anything, it is that the nostalgia for the 2000s was not a fleeting trend, but a true paradigm shift. The latest proof of this is the spectacular return of Saint Laurent’s Mombasa bag, fronted by the figure who best understands the language of the modern “it-girl”: Bella Hadid.
To understand the weight of the Mombasa, we must go back to 2001. At the time, Tom Ford transformed the maison into a laboratory of aggressive sensuality and refined sophistication. The Mombasa, with its iconic antler-horn handle (originally inspired by Kenyan craftsmanship), broke away from the rigid structure of traditional luxury handbags.
It was an organic, visceral, and slightly subversive design. Its success was such that it became the house’s first major “It-bag” under Ford’s direction, cementing an aesthetic that, 25 years later, has once again become the epicenter of cultural relevance.
Today, Anthony Vaccarello revives this silhouette in a raw, minimalist campaign starring Bella Hadid. The choice is no coincidence: Bella has almost single-handedly helped revalue the second-hand market, wearing archival pieces that fashion insiders have relentlessly hunted down on resale platforms.
The ‘Resurrection’ phenomenon
This is not an isolated case. Today’s creative directors have stopped ignoring the vintage market and have begun actively feeding it directly from the runways.
The Chloé precedent
Recently, we’ve seen how Chemena Kamali revived the spirit of the Paddington Phoebe Philo’s iconic design restoring its status as a must-have in the brand’s new era.
The YSL strategy With the Mombasa, Saint Laurent validates the new generation’s obsession with bags with personality, structure, and a touch of irreverence.
Direction and Photography |Glen luchford
The return of these bags speaks to a growing fatigue with extreme minimalism. After years of discreet handbags and barely-there logos, audiences are craving pieces that tell a story. The Mombasa is not just an accessory; it carries a narrative. With a history on the red carpets of the 2000s, it is a symbol of an era when fashion was more tactile, more daring, and definitely more fun.
The industry has entered a phase in which success is measured by the depth of the archive a brand is able to activate. Seeing Bella Hadid carrying the Mombasa is not merely a nod to early-2000s paparazzi photos; it is confirmation that the archive is the new future. Creative directors are no longer competing with the past they are inviting it to the table.
