This Envelope-Sized Bag Has Claimed The It-Bag Throne

These days, the race for a cool-girl-approved handbag is top of mind for every luxury brand. Some bags come up through the ranks with top clients showing off must-have styles (see: Balenciaga’s Le City bag) and some are thrust upon us but never really happen; brands can send out handbags and secure placements all they want, but for a bag to transcend a moment and become a fixture, a few things are required. Firstly, it has to be utile on both the shoulder and in-hand (a glass-blown purse and other oddities don’t meet this mark); secondly, it needs to fit a phone, lip combo, ID, and hotel room key; thirdly, it needs to come in enough colors and fabrications to find its way into a variety of It girls’ wardrobes. A late-in-the-year newcomer to the scene just might pass the test: Valentino’s DeVain bag.

The envelope-sized small confection first caught my eye on the shoulder of Sabrina Carpenter when she hosted Saturday Night Live; not only did the bag make its way in sequined, rainbow fashion onto Carpenter’s shoulder for promotional videos, it was her trusty sidekick for the afterparty as well. Olivia Rodrigo stepped out in a similarly embellished version not too soon after that, and showed how it can be dressed up and down to the user’s whim.

Indeed, we might tack on a fourth rule of thumb for an It bag-in-the-making: the chameleonic property of matching any attire, formal or not. Devon Lee Carlson gave it the Erewhon-run stamp of approval in Los Angeles, showing how the formal-leaning style can just as well serve as a phone-keys-wallet carry-all for a light morning of errands. Chase Sui Wonders, for her part, showed that while the patterns and sequins are a hoot and great camera fodder, the classics are classic for a reason.

And if you needed any more convincing on the DeVain’s versatility, Dakota Johnson and Elsa Hosk show why it’s first and foremost an evening bag. The simplicity of the denim goes well with morning-coffee-run ‘fits as it does a simple evening gown. The genius behind the DeVain is not its size — which is just big enough to fit essentials without being cumbersome — but its ability to stand out or fit neatly into the background of any outfit equation. Case in point: Valentino’s digital campaign highlighting the DeVain bag called on nine different digital artists to render the DeVain in whichever fantasy way they imagined. The results are as wide-spanning as the pattern and fabric options; it’s less of a campaign and more an invitation to imagine yourself in the DeVain universe.

There is also a price range friendly to those saving up for a luxury purchase, and those willing to go big or go home in the name of fashion. So, whether you’re a print-mixing maximalist — as creative director Alessandro Michele adamantly shows season after season — or more of a statement bag kinda girl, the ease and breadth of the DeVain will have something up your alley. Happy shopping — gifting can wait until your handbag quota for the year is complete.