Bowling Bags Are Having a Moment, Here's Why

Bowling is officially back in fashion, and we don't mean a la Two and a Half Men's Charlie Sheen. No, this time, the retro-inspired aesthetic is finding its way back into our hearts via this season's must-have silhouette: the bowling bag. Featuring in new season collections from luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga to indie it-girl brands like Peachy Den and Vagabond, it seems like everyone's got their eyes on the bowler.

Originating in the 1920s as a means to carry (yep, you guessed it) bowling balls, the curved silhouette quickly found itself adopted by the fashion world, beginning with LV in the 1950s. Since then -- and as with all trends -- we've seen it enter and exit the trend cycle a few times but now, it's back in a big way.

The re-emergence of the silhouette could come down to a few things. First, an evolution of our obsession with gymwear, athleisure and wellness, resulting in more and more of us going straight from the gym or the sports club to a social activity. Second, an ongoing interest in corpcore aesthetics, but with a casual twist and finally, a sustained interest in retro sports. The aesthetics of racket sports like tennis, pickleball and padel have become more popular than ever before, but eventually, everything gets a little saturated and we begin to move on to the next new old thing...

We first saw the silhouette creep back into the trend cycle courtesy of Acne Studios and its major team-up with 365 party girl Charli XCX. For Charli's first brand campaign with Acne, she appeared in a series of half-nude portraits covering her chest with nothing but the new Bowlina Bag. The campaign dropped in November 2024 and since then, we've been seeing a slew of silhouettes featuring that familiar curved shape.

London-based label Peachy Den dropped its own version of the silhouette in February this year, dubbed the Bowler. Speaking about the inspiration behind the design, founder Isabella Weatherby tells us, "Like everything we create at Peachy, the Bowler Bag was born out of a sense of playful nostalgia. We started by diving into our archive of past campaigns, paying close attention to the vintage bags that had been styled with each collection. A strong 90s and Y2K influence stood out: bold primary colors, contrast piping, sporty shapes and fabrics, design details we know were essential for a bag that would feel right at home in the peachy wardrobe."

In terms of the process, Weatherby continues, "We then sourced a selection of 90s kit and tennis bags, aiming to channel the sporty energy that resonates with our customers. Our favorite finds inspired the shape: softly curved edges, twin zips, contract stitching, and piping that wraps from one side to the other. The color palette began with our signature Peachy red, followed by a much-loved deep navy. For the mini versions, we introduced a more refined burgundy that pairs effortlessly with everything, alongside a punchy, party-ready bright yellow - this one sparked by an iconic paparazzi snap of Kate Moss leaving a club. Our Bowler is a hybrid - part gym bag, part travel bag, part everyday carryall - designed to suit the rhythm of the Peachy girl's day-to-day life."

In April, Balenciaga launched the Carrie Bowling Bag, designed for "versatility and everyday functionality," according to the brand's press release. The bag arrives in a carryall style, complete with a discreetly embossed Balenciaga logo. Crafted from grained calfskin, the bag also featured a zipped closure with a spacious interior, lined with smooth nappa lambskin. Landing in hues of black, white and burgundy along with "Mineral Green," the bag expands luxury's luggage obsession in a more accessible way.

That same month, Versace returned with its ever-iconic "La Vacanza" collection, starring the new Tag Bowling bag (and Sabrina Carpenter). Landing in bright pink and mint green, the bag followed the same bowling-inspired shape, not to mention including it in its name, and arrived in several colorways -- both bright and classic.

Just this month, Swedish fashion label Vagabond also dropped a bowling-inspired silhouette. Speaking to us about the design, the brand's Creative Director, Maria Billson Olander, told us, "We liked the idea of doing our take on the classic bowling bag – it has such a timeless shape. The inspiration came from vintage sportswear, but we wanted to give it a clean, contemporary feel that works just as well for everyday errands as for a night out."

Outside of bags, this month also saw the second iteration of Louis Vuitton's Pre-Fall 2025 collection drop, featuring a range of silk "bowling sets" in hues of aqua and pink. Not exactly the same as a bowling bag, of course, but a definite signifier of the bowling-inspired designs that have been infiltrating the luxury landscape.

Whether it's just further proof that "what goes around comes around," trend-fully speaking, or an evolution of gym-girl aesthetics, it's safe to say the bowling bag isn't about to strike out any time soon.

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