Thanks to high-fashion names like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Alexander Wang, the fanny pack has become one of the rising trends of 2017.
Fanny packs started trickling back into mainstream street-style fashions in the fall of 2016 after appearing in several menswear fashion shows, according to W Magazine. After much collaboration with the street-savvy brand Supreme, Louis Vuitton premiered the fanny pack on the high fashion runway, and since then, the trend has shown up in everyday style.
W reported that designer brands like Alexander Wang are marketing the fanny pack as the “hands-free purse†as a nod to its convenience. Even popular celebrities like the Kardashians, A$AP Rocky, Leonardo DiCaprio and Rihanna have donned fanny packs over the past few months.
“All the major designers have come out with fanny packs as part of their collection – notably Supreme Balenciaga, Gucci and Chanel,†Taylor McNickle, an account executive for Uncommon Fashion in Los Angeles, said.
“By styling them over the shoulder or like a belt, they’re re-invented to keep it current.â€
The term "fanny pack" hit "maximum search interest" from Sept. 24 to 30, according to statistics on Google Trends.
McNickle said most trends cycle in and out of style. Recent fashion has seen of lot of resurgence from ‘90s style. The fanny pack was a major trend in the ‘90s, which is partially why it has joined the list of other trendy items like scrunchies, Vans shoes as well as casualwear and chokers.
McNickle also said social media and “trickledown fashion,†a theory where high fashion is repurposed into obtainable and affordable fashion, were primary reasons for this resurgence.
“If a big-name designer sends a fanny pack to someone like Bella Hadid, it’s going to start a trend,†McNickle said. “In a social media world, our inspirations are models and bloggers because they have so much pull in the fashion community and make or break trends.â€
The functionality of the fanny pack has been a widely discussed topic as it creeps back into current trends. Fanny packs are stylish, gender-neutral, available in a variety of sizes and do not have to make a statement, which is what makes them practical accessories, according to Forbes.
While functional, this trend has come back mostly for stylistic reasons, McNickle said.
“I personally do not think designers make something for practical reasons these days,†McNickle said. “Everything is for a picture – people go to the flower market or a festival to get a good Instagram picture, and they wear certain clothes to make a statement in their photo.â€
In the last several years, fanny packs have seen a gradual rise in interest. The term hit maximum search interest from Sept. 24 to 30, according to statistics on Google Trends. The top searchers in the U.S. for the term “fanny pack†were from California, Hawaii, New York, Nebraska and Louisiana.
Erika Ladmirault, a manager at Highland Side boutique in Baton Rouge, has noticed fanny packs coming back into style. Ladmirault said it’s hard to tell why certain things trend and even harder to tell if the trend will last, or if it’s just a short-term “fad.†Things usually begin trending from popular media and, in this case, increased music festival attendance.
“The fashion and retail industry constantly prove that everything old will become new again,†Ladmirault said. “As a buyer and store manager, it is very easy to spot a trend whether it be at a market or shopping on my own.â€
Ladmirault said the fanny pack is only trendy because of its current status as a “fad†in fashion.
“I’m not opposed to the idea of fanny packs, but I don’t personally use them,†Ladmirault said. “I don’t think they’ll be the ‘it’ item for very long.â€
