‘Huge sales’: From a $2500 Louis Vuitton version to cheaper brands, the ‘bum bag’ is having a moment

It was once an item only sported by tourists. Now, this accessory has become a celebrity street style staple. And sales are absolutely huge.

Kourtney Kardashian, Ben Simmons and Bella Hadid show off the cross-body bag trend. Picture: Getty/Backgrid

One of the most cringe-worthy accessories of the ’90s is back.

Designer bum bags are the Los Angeles street style trend that is now a huge market among Australian shoppers, with leading stores recording a massive spike in sales locally.

But forget about wearing them on your waist: the bum bag is now being sported slung across the chest like a vest.

Australian online retail giant The Iconic has seen a 2000 per cent increase in bum bag sales over the past 12 months (it would not disclose exact sales figures), News Corp Australia can reveal.

Kourtney Kardashian sporting Prada’s $890 nylon ‘belt bag’. Picture: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Bella Hadid, pictured in May, also sporting a Prada version. Picture: Gotham/GC Images

The spike in demand has also been seen at Stylerunner, which has recorded a 300 per cent increase in sales in the category over the last 6 months.

Known as the “fanny pack” in the United States, the belted item is also being rebranded as a “cross-body bag”, “waist pack” and “tactical pouch”, according to influential sites such as Hypebeast.

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The bum bag has been sported by everyone from Australian NBA star Ben Simmons (a $2500 Louis Vuitton cross-body satchel worn across his chest) to Bella Hadid, wearing Prada.

Luxury brands are buying into the trend, too. Balenciaga’s range includes a $1400 graffiti-covered leather version, while one of Gucci’s top-selling styles is the $1000 GG Marmont unisex bum bag.

Australian NBA star Ben Simmons is into the cross-body bag trend, as seen wearing Louis Vuitton. Picture: BACKGRID

The Iconic women’s accessories manager Carolyn Donohue said demand for the belted accessory had increased “dramatically” among Australian shoppers.

“From more high-end fashion options, to sport luxe styles from brands like P.E. Nation and Tommy Jeans, we’ve seen this category grow dramatically across both our women’s and men’s accessory departments,” Donohue said.

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“We’ve witnessed a huge increase in sales of over 2000 per cent in the last twelve months.”

The Iconic had increased its range in response, now stocking more than 100 additional styles compared to the same time last year.

“To cater to this growing demand, our assortment across both bum and belt bags has also grown substantially,” Donohue said.

Prada is also selling harness-style wearable bags, priced around $1580, as seen here on supermodel Kendall Jenner. Picture: Getty Images

The site’s top-selling styles include P. E. Nation’s double block bum bag ($149), a version by Prene ($49.95), and Love Moschino’s quilted bum bag ($225).

A Stylerunner spokeswoman said the site had purchased 25 per cent more stock to deal with the “increased” demand.

Australian celebrity stylist Elliot Garnaut described the bum bag as a “wearable storage unit”.

“The era of the bum bag (worn in the traditional way around the waist) came and went at the beginning of 2018,” Garnaut said.

“It’s the modern adaptation of how to wear it — around the chest — that has seen it explode.

“It’s no longer a tourist’s uniform — it’s now a sartorial staple for the world’s trendsetters, like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, who are wearing (it) cross-body.

“It’s almost tongue-in-cheek, like you’re embracing your inner dag.”

Originally published as ‘Huge sales’: From a $2500 Louis Vuitton version to cheaper brands, the ‘bum bag’ is having a moment