Lululemon has launched its Big-Ass Bag, an 80-litre tote priced at £228, making it one of the most affordable options in a growing market for oversized holdalls. The bag, which launched this month, has drawn attention for its capacious design, with social media users filling it with themselves and joking about its size.
Social Media Reactions
Online reactions have been largely mocking. One Instagram commenter compared it to a studio apartment, while product reviews include: “I took it with me to my summer backpacking trip. I was able to bring back the Eiffel Tower, coliseum [sic] and many other monuments.” Another joked that it “runs small,” complaining: “I can only fit two of my five kids in this bag.”
Despite the jokes, Refinery 29 claims it’s a “brilliant solution for lugging everything at once.”
Oversized Bag Trend
The Big-Ass Bag is part of a wider trend towards dramatically oversized bags. Other examples include Loewe’s Puzzle Fold XL, The Row’s Marlo 14, and a Chanel beach bag recently seen on Dua Lipa. In April, Women’s Wear Daily said the Chanel bag signalled “a return to dramatically oversized bags.”
The Chanel version costs about £6,000, while Lululemon’s is a more reasonable £228. For comparison, a zip-up plastic laundry bag from Tesco costs six for a tenner, and Balenciaga sold a high-fashion version in 2016 for £975.
From Nano to Big-Ass
The shift to oversized bags follows a period of nano-bag popularity. In 2019, Lizzo carried a Valentino nano-bag at the American Music Awards, and US Vogue said in April we “need a Teeny-Tiny Tote this Summer.” The trend cycle has moved on, with abandoning handbags entirely in favour of a claw grip briefly being a thing last year, but that’s now ancient history.
