Bag of The Week: Balenciaga Bolero Bag

This is for the Couture girlies.

Bag of the Week is a franchise that highlights the latest, most hyped luxury bags. Each week, we showcase a bag that is generating significant buzz, whether for its design, exclusivity, or popularity. This week, we’re shining the spotlight on the Balenciaga Bolero Bag.

All eyes were on Pierpaolo Piccioli for his Balenciaga debut show for Spring/Summer 2026, and ours were drawn to the first bag bearing his name—the Bolero Bag.

The entire collection gracefully nods to the house’s heritage and its predecessors. With the signature tubular Sack Dress—first introduced by Cristóbal Balenciaga in the 1950s—opening the show, Piccioli made it clear that his arrival does not mean turning over a new leaf, but rather continuing an existing story—even as the brand wiped its Instagram to welcome his debut. It is only natural, then, for the Italian designer to revisit the roots of the house’s founder.

Among the reimagined bags, such as the Le City and Rodeo, the Bolero bag has particularly captured the interest of the glitterati and front-row guests. If the curved arch of the bowler-shaped bag looks familiar, it’s because it draws inspiration not from an archive bag, but from a Couture piece: the Bolero jacket, introduced in 1937. Known for his affectionate references to his home country and the Spanish culture, Cristóbal Balenciaga created the short and cropped Bolero jacket with a rounded shoulder, which this crescent-shaped bag now echoes.

At first glance, the architectural zip closure defines the bag’s form. With the zipper encircling the upper edge, the design allows the bag to split open like an oyster and reveal a capacious interior. Notably, the Bolero bag also caters to modern needs with a concealed pocket, easily accessible through the ovular base—a secretive spot for items you need at a moment’s notice.

Its rounded, ergonomic design too, offers versatility in how it can be carried—as a clutch, under the arm, by the top handle, or as a cross-body bag. To balance the “soft” look of such an edgeless shape, Piccioli cleverly added four bold and thick B-shaped metal emblems to accentuate the handles, preserving the streetwear DNA that his predecessor, Demna, established for the brand.

The styling possibilities are limitless. For a versatile daytime look, actress Sarah Catherine Hook—best known as “Piper” in The White Lotus Season 3—paired a casual ensemble with a cream Bolero bag. Chinese actresses Yang Chaoyue and Ma Sichun each chose the black version but styled it differently. While Ma complemented hers with fur boots and denim for a laid-back vibe, Yang opted for an all-black, edgy street-style look accentuate with gold hoop earrings and a fur coat.

Crafted from calfskin exterior with plum nappa lambskin lining, the Balenciaga Bolero bag comes in medium and mini sizes. It is offered in infallible black, warm curry tone, sweet rose quartz, or a clean shade of cream.