It’s possible that lately you’ve seen people out and about with an enormous quilted bag slung across their chests. The crossbody bag is so voluminous that it can appear at times like a cloud resting at the wearer’s side. Maybe you’ve seen it in white or black, but also possibly in a cobalt blue or a tangerine orange. It’s possible that you’ve even seen knockoffs. But in any case, the COS quilted crossbody bag has become all but inescapable.
The Cos bag is a surprisingly affordable one at that (as far as It-bags go). The largely favored oversized edition retails for $99, while the mini bag costs $65 and the micro $45. Made of recycled polyester, the bags are not the high end leather that we’re used to associating with the purses du jour, and thanks to the large variety of colorways and fanciful, bubbly design, it seems ideally suited to young consumers in a variety of markets.
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Like with many trends, we can look to celebrity endorsements as the source of its popularity. In January 2022, Korean pop star and actor Jennie Kim (known mononymously as Jennie) posted photos from a late 2021 trip to Paris, heavily featuring the cloud-like crossbody in white and broadcasting her new favorite item to her tens of million followers. From there, the secret was out. Lines formed outside of Cos stores, and the bag became informally known as the “Jennie bag.” K-Pop stars Taemin and Key also adopted the look, proving that it was just as viable a trend for men.
Following Jennie’s impact in Asia, the trend moved to the European market where it fell in lockstep with a Nordic sense of maximalism—an abundance of texture made the crossbody an instant talking point while the variety of colorways allowed it to find fans in every niche (the Danish could have their more colorful pieces while the Swedes could stick to the neutrals).
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The Cos bag has retained its fandom beyond Jennie’s favor, thanks to its roominess, its updated take on the popcorn style endemic to ’90s and Y2K fashions, and its friendly price point. “Reminds me of the Miu Miu quilted bags but much more affordable for what is essentially and ‘on trend’ summer bag,” one user wrote on Reddit. Others worry that the bag will be a flash in the pan. “This looks like the kinda thing tiktok would love for all of 15 minutes then forget about,” someone else commented.
But that doesn t seem to be the case, so far. Even though Jennie made waves with the crossbody nearly two years ago, it’s just starting to permeate the American fashion market. If you haven’t seen it by now, you will soon.
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