Born in 2001, the first few memories I have of a basket are from the TV series Oswald (the cobalt blue octopus) when he goes on a picnic with Weenie and Henry (other characters) in the 10th episode, carrying three plankton sandwiches along with napkins in it. While you can still have three plankton sandwiches and napkins in your Chanel CC Turn-lock basket bag, things are different, and you choose not to when you spend 11,215 dollars on it.

Chanel CC Turn-lock basket bag Photo courtesy: Pinterest

Baskets, of course, have been around for centuries and have been found in different cultures worldwide. But the trend of baskets as a luxury made it big again a few years ago, and we refuse to let it go this summer too.

Baskets are multi-purpose and can be used to keep fruit in the kitchen or store towels in the bathroom. And are now holding an outfit together on runaways. While they continue to serve the non-fashion world, they contribute equally to the high-end fashion world distinctively but astoundingly. It was only in the 1950s that basketry became a fashionable accessory, and the picnic basket shrank to the size of a handbag. Its resurgence in fashion in the late 1960s and early 1970s was due to the popularity of the round basket bag worn by Jane Birkin, the actress, singer, and model, who carried it with her on a daily basis. She used a single pair of basket bags at every event since it was cost-effective and beneficial for the environment. The "Birkin basket" bag thus became a fashion accessory.

This march, gracefully led by Jane Birkin, clearly made a mark, as it's alive and still flourishing after multiple years. Jane carried one in a black shirt, full-length blue flare jeans, and vintage dark boots when eating candy floss. Birkin also wore it in the crook of her elbow while clad in an ochre-hued fur coat. With a long trench coat, and on days she wore something as comfortable as a knit sweater, a knit Gatsby cap, denim pants, and sneakers.

Collage of Jane Birkin's outfits with her basket bag

Basket bags that go by the alias "woven bags" can be paired with almost anything and everything. They add a natural and bohemian style to your ensemble: a sundress or a flowy maxi skirt for a laid-back, effortless summer look. Opt for neutral or earthy tones to complement the natural texture of the bag. Basket bags also serve as a practical yet trendy way to carry your beach essentials while adding a touch of fashion to your beach attire.

To exude a relaxed and free-spirited aesthetic, combine the bag with embroidered blouses and wide-leg pants, or you can go with a pair of denim shorts, a basic tee, and espadrilles. Contrary to this casual image, basket bags can uplift your dressier clothing too. Consider using a structured or embellished basket bag as a unique accessory to elevate a floral dress, a tailored jumpsuit, or a linen suit.

Photo courtesy: Pinterest

Madé, creator of "Data But Make it Fashion," Harvard Alum and author of “The Little Book of Big Fashion Data,” in her latest post on Instagram, seconds the popularity by captioning it "Happy basket bag season ..." She shared the data in the form of a line graph that demonstrates a comparison of three, renowned brands that sell basket bags, i.e., Loewe, Celine, and Jacquemus, and their differences in demand. She also mentions in a reel on her 'Instagram that "Every year fashion brands fight to create the bag of the summer, and in recent years it's typically been a straw, basket bag." And also calls it "Bag of the summer."

Photo contributed by databutmakeitfashion, Posted on May 22, 2023

We are all aware that we can buy basket bags from uncountable sources from a price range that is too lengthy to calibrate. You can grab one for as low as $50 from brands like Zara or Mango. Or make the purchase costlier by choosing luxury that is affordable like Cult Gaia, Marni, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Karl Lagerfeld, etc., or you can pay exorbitant prices to purchase Prada, Chanel, Balenciaga, Valentino Garavani versions of it.

Photo courtesy: Pinterest

Basket bags are everywhere. We walk past them, stand two steps behind them on the escalator, sit beside them in the subway, sit across from them in a restaurant, make eye contact with them in a park, or hold them by the strap instead of putting them over our shoulder, or they sit on the second compartment of a closet or occasionally accompany us to parties and weddings. Indeed, basket bags are everywhere.

Article by Palak Godara, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine

Basket Bags: We Continue to Love them!