From Dua Lipa to Hailey Bieber—does everyone have a belted bag now?

This embellishment has been so successful that the Turkish label started affixing hardware to their footwear offerings as well. The duo believes it’s the “fusion of old-world charm and modern-day practicality” that draws in shoppers—including Taylor Swift, Kate Middleton, and Zoey Deutch—like moths to a flame. “Our belted buckle has been one of our signature details for quite a while now,” they said. “We were probably the very first ones [on] the belted-bag trend.”

The Birkin’s draw lies not only in its outlandish price point but also in its exclusivity. Most people can’t afford one, and even those who can might not be able to secure their design of choice. In this way, Manu Atelier and other brands like them provide a more democratic system for attaining the hero piece.

Addison Rae shows off the Miu Miu Aventure at the Miu Miu spring 2025 show in October 2024.

Jacopo M. Raule/Getty Images

Thus far, the great Birkinfication seems to be a lucrative business strategy, even for low-end retailers. At the end of 2024, the US retail chain Walmart went viral for its Birkin doppelganger—which the internet facetiously dubbed the Wirkin—selling out the handbag immediately. Meanwhile, the most sought-after collaboration of the last year came when Tibi added a men’s belt to L.L.Bean’s Boat and Tote and raised the price tenfold.

Likewise, luxury department stores are seeing new interest in buckled styles directly reminiscent of Jane Birkin’s famous bag. “Belted bags are a huge trend, especially in an elevated tote or satchel shapes,” says Marissa Galante Frank, fashion director of accessories and beauty at Bloomingdale’s. “The pace at which trends have been moving can be exhausting, and customers are looking to invest in timeless pieces they can wear season after season.”

Katie Holmes carries the Manu Atelier Le Cambon bag.

Photo Patricia Schlein/Star Max (Getty Images)

As a result, the retailer is now launching new belted-bag styles across all price points in order to meet demand. “DeMellier’s New York tote bag has been wildly popular,” Galante Frank says. “We have customers asking for DeMellier’s bags by name, and we continue to expand the assortment with different colours, textures, and sizes. It is practical enough for the office but sophisticated enough to wear out to dinner.”

The fabled bag has become fashion’s great unifier, transcending mere status symbol to become a yardstick for success. It’s the ultimate aspiration for billionaires and middle-class fashionistas alike who hope to one day claim one as their own. Until that day comes, however, these more affordable contemporaries exist to make that validation feel just a little bit more within reach.

Demellier Hudson tote bag

Mytheresa belted leather tote bag

Saint Laurent Manhattan bag