Though fashion has always afforded us with the opportunity for individual expression, our penchant for personalisation may have reached its peak, culminating in this season’s most sought-after accessory: bag charms.
The past decade has seen consumers align themselves to brand identities, from the ‘Glossier Girl’ to those who worship at The Row’s minimalist altar. Individuals are attaching themselves to the fashion and beauty brands they feel connected to, which, in turn, provide expertly curated spaces (both online and offline) and a sense of commonality. Where fashion subcultures once provided a community, brands have caught on to the appeal of belonging and filled the gap.
This year, however, it seems we’re moving towards accessorising in a way that straddles both individuality and brand alignment, with the ressurgence of the bag charm. The maximalist, endearing nature of adorning your accessories feels ostensibly like a reaction to the Quiet Luxury trend embraced by the likes of Sofia Richie-Grainge and Jennifer Lawrence.
But adorning our accessories isn’t a new practice, by any means. The Olsen twins – and indeed, Jane Birkin herself – were often photographed clutching an Hermès Birkin furnished with a jumble of trinkets, keyrings and keepsakes in the noughties, adding their own unique, charming (if you’ll excuse the pun) touches to one of the most exclusive bags on the market.
Fast forward to 2024 and bag charms are very much back in our collective fashion consciousness, with Pinterest searches for “bag charms” having increased sevenfold and “charms” up 65% since this time last year. This is translating to a clear desire in the market; according to Lyst, demand for bag charms and bags with embellishments has risen 352% month-on-month and 129% respectively this quarter across its site, showing no signs of slowing.
Chloé Kerala 25 brass key charm
Burberry Thomas bear keyring
Loewe elephant felt and leather charm
Bottega Veneta intreccio leather fish keyring
Gucci horsebit 1955 black leather keychain
Jimmy Choo casino chip metal bag charm
The bag charm’s revival can be attributed to a number of influences; it’s received the seal of approval from celebrities such as Dua Lipa and Gigi Hadid, appeared on the bags at Miu Miu and Coach’s autumn/winter 25 shows, and adorned the accessories of many a fashion week attendee this season. “Bag charms are experiencing a moment of cultural significance that goes far beyond mere accessorising,” says Lyst’s curation manager Barbara Janeczek. “Right now they represent a perfect storm of personal expression, micro-luxury, and social media-driven trend-making.”
The burgeoning bag charm culture has created a new niche for brands to hone in on, and luxury names in particular have been quick off the mark to respond. The result is an abundance of charms, key rings and mascot companions that play on the consumer’s desire to not only identify with these luxury brands, but outwardly signal their belonging while indulging their own personal tastes – at a far more affordable price point than the bag itself.
“Brands like Loewe, Celine, Miu Miu and Prada have brilliantly tapped into this zeitgeist, creating charms that are essentially wearable art pieces and are collectable, conversational, and deeply personal,” says Janeczek.
Balenciaga leather rodeo shoulder bag with charms
Prada small leather shoulder bag
Chanel pre-owned shoulder bag with mini Coco charms
Coach also launched its consistently sold-out cherry keyring charm off the back of it’s successful rebrand and highly sought-after new season bags. As Sydney Stanback, Pinterest’s head of Global Trends and Insights, explains, Coach’s design also aligns with one of Pinterest’s 2025 predicted trends, ‘Cherry Coded’, ensuring this trending accessory will carry favour into the new year.
Coach cherry bag charm
Tempted as you may be to count the addition of a brand’s signature or logo on a bag strap and call it a day, it’s not that straightforward; accessorising with bag charms requires further thought, combining creative whimsy with a dash of the unexpected. “They have become a canvas for storytelling, allowing people to transform a standard bag into something uniquely their own,” explains Janeczek. “It’s propelled by a generation that values individual expression over conformity and sees fashion as a form of personal narrative. Fashion shoppers are gravitating towards these small but mighty fashion statements as a way to individualise luxury accessories without making a huge financial commitment.”
Anya Hindmarch matchbook heart charm
Marc Jacobs nano tote bag metallic charm
Max Mara teak teddy bag charm
True as that may be, there’s still a consumer desire for ready-to-wear designs that come already equipped with charms, the most popular of which has been the Balenciaga Rodeo Bag, which Lyst reports is experiencing a 1366% month-on-month search increase.
As to how long we can expect to see bag charms adorning our accessories, it’s likely the trend will evolve even further. We’ve already seen it trickle down into beauty, with brands such as SpaceNK offering key charms to adorn your beauty products, while Carolina Herrera’s convenient lipstick keychains have been around for a while. Whether you opt for a Fendi food charm, invest in your own Loewe animal mascot, or take a note from Dua Lipa and adorn your bag with collected keepsakes, the possibilities for accessorising are endless.