Some phantoms remain specters of the past — but not Celine’s version. The French label’s “Phantom” carryall dominated the 2010s as one of the most recognizable it bags, collected by Hollywood A-listers like Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian, and Lindsay Lohan before being replaced by newer designs.
Thankfully, with the wave of 2010s nostalgia hitting the fashion industry, the discontinued style is making a comeback, with a whole new “smile” and name. Meet Celine’s New Luggage.
Celine’s New Luggage, Past & Present
The OG Phantom was first introduced in 2010 by the brand’s then-creative director, Phoebe Philo. It was an ode to another Celine classic: the 1969 Mistral bag designed by Céline Vipiana herself. The boxy number featured an unmistakable “face”: the straight zipper on the front looked like a tight-lipped “mouth,” while the straps looked like they were shooting out of “eyes.”
This July, as Michael Rider made his debut as Celine’s new creative director during Paris’ Men’s Fashion Week, he boldly reintroduced the carryall on the runway. He had ties to it, after all. Before leaving Celine for seven years, the designer previously worked at the French label — as the design director under Philo, no less. So his return and revitalization of one of Philo’s most iconic legacies was made with utmost respect.
His take had some updates, of course. The New Luggage has an oversized, east-west shape and is crafted in a shiny lambskin for a smooth appearance. The most recognizable change, however, lies in the zipper. It now features two expressions including the deadpan mouth and the newer smile. Yes, it’s called that and, yes, it’s the same curve seen in many an emoji.
Celebs Love The Bag
Like the bag’s first wave, this new style has its fair share of celeb fans. Some even managed to cop a piece or two before it officially launched to the public on Sept. 26. Julia Roberts, for example, was spotted carrying a medium-sized tote in black. A$AP Rocky also carried one, but in a larger iteration.
Meanwhile, BTS’s Kim Taehyung (or V to the BTS Army) was also seen carrying one accented with a scarf and a Labubu.
Wait, The New Luggage Costs How Much?!
The east-west “Smiling” New Luggage comes in two sizes, medium and large, and retails for $4,350 and $5,200, respectively. It’s currently only available in two colorways (black and brown), but you can expect more to be rolled out in the coming seasons.
The smile also comes in a square tote bag variation, called the Flat Cabas New Luggage. This has a more vivid color palette of reds, butter yellows, and blues. It’s also more affordable with a $2,100 price point.
