If a decade of watching A$AP Rocky dominate the conversation around men’s style tells us anything, it’s that, when it comes to his menswear inclinations, the rapper-turned-designer is rarely wrong.
Routinely cited as one of the best-dressed celebrities on the planet, Pretty Flaco’s sartorial gravitas is a known entity at this point. Whether it’s with a tasteful Saint Laurent suit or blacked-out Ray-Ban shades, Rocky wields the power to command red carpets, crown designers and cement — or in some cases, ignite — trends amongst hordes of moodboard-inspired fanboys. With his most recent French flex, the multi-hyphenate might have inadvertently done just that.
While making a surprise appearance at the Chanel Cruise runway show in Biarritz on Tuesday, Rocky was decked out in a custom look designed by the label’s creative director Matthieu Blazy. But the clothes, while on point, were overshadowed by one particularly eye-catching accessory.
Whereas the outfit — a tweed-trimmed boxy jacket in suede, crimson button-up with CC cutout buttons, pleated trousers and burgundy Oxfords — is superlative (and copiable) enough on its own, the real eye-catcher of the ensemble was the bubblegum-pink flap bag. Similarly sporting the brand’s iconic multicolored tweed lining and finished with interlocking double-C hardware and a pair of child-sized ballet flats (a gift from Blazy for Rocky’s infant daughter), the Chanel handbag was impossible to miss.
(Also worth noting: Chanel doesn’t produce men’s clothing outside of custom jobs, although recent ambassador deals for Rocky and Pedro Pascal have sparked rumors that the label is interested in pushing into the menswear space.)
To be clear, Rocky is not alone in his affinity for a chic carryall. Young and adventurous Hollywood A-listers have fully embraced what might have previously been referred to as a murse, especially as high fashion has leaned into the space and traditionally female-focused brands like Celine and Chanel have tapped into male star power for ad campaigns and red-carpet spectacles.
Case in point: Gen-Z stars like Jacob Elordi and Timothée Chalamet are routinely spotted toting flashy micro-bags and woven leather totes from the likes of Hermès and Bottega Veneta. Harry Styles flashed his own Chanel bag, an elite leopard-print flap bag, last month in New York during his album rollout for Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.
Is a less-than-subtle murse the trend of the summer? That remains to be seen, especially considering that Chanel flap bags retail in the thousands and Rocky’s own caryall is reportedly a custom one-of-one. Still, there’s already some reported trickle-down: according to Forbes, the luxury bag market for men is expected to crest $18 billion within the next decade.
If Rocky keeps this up, we might well reach that benchmark early.
Meet your guide
More Like This
This article appeared in an InsideHook newsletter. Sign up for free to get more on travel, wellness, style, drinking, and culture..
