This Incredibly Plain Tote Is Beloved by Kate Middleton—And Me (2024)

Most of my favorite purchases have come from jumping on a hype bandwagon. I finally caved and bought Allbirds sneakers last year and—surprise!—they're now my favorite shoes. I bought Outdoor Voices' color-block 7/8 leggings after seeing so many stylish women wearing them around New York. I even own that one Amazon coat. Rarely is it that I find something on my own only to realize it's already a cult favorite. But that's exactly the case with my beloved Longchamp Le Pliage tote bag.

It was, first and foremost, a practical purchase. I had just started my freshman year of college, and I wanted to upgrade my JanSport backpack from high school for a more grown-up bag. I did a deep dive on tote bags, which lead me to the Le Pliage, a roomy nylon bag with leather straps and a single side pocket. It fit my books, my laptop, and my makeup case—good. The leather envelope closure, gold buttons, and logo zipper gave the otherwise plain bag the slightest touch of elegance, which was a plus. Here, I thought, was a bag that looked timeless but was purely useful.

Despite all my research, I didn't realize at the time the worldwide fan base Longchamp's Le Pliage had. It was only once I started carrying it that I noticed it everywhere—on my college campus, on the bus, in foreign countries. It felt as though I had entered a secret society, linking me to several thousand tote carriers who were clued in to the magic of this incredibly plain bag.

Since it launched in the nineties, Le Pliage has been one of Longchamp's best-selling bags. In 2017, Business of Fashion reported that the brand sold 11 per minute. A representative for Longchamp confirmed to Glamour that it has sold more than 30 million of Le Pliage totes to date.

Part of its popularity can be attributed to its celebrity fans. Kate Middleton famously carried Longchamp's tote in the early aughts. (She still carries them as the duch*ess of Cambridge.) It's been spotted on the shoulders of It girls like Alexa Chung and Kendall Jenner. (The latter acts as the face of the brand.) Even Meghan Markle—long before she was linked to Prince Harry—was photographed with it slung over her shoulder.

There's more to its appeal than A-list sightings. Le Pliage is one of the more accessible bags sold by a designer brand. The small nylon totes start at $125; the large ones can go up to $190. It's stocked in all of the major department stores (Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus) and on Amazon. (On all these sites, reviews number in the hundreds and are overwhelmingly positive. It's fairly common for customers to report that they own two or three.)

During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, there's even a more luxe leather version and a bigger expandable version discounted right now.

“The Longchamp Le Pilage is an iconic bag that is timeless and appeals to all ages," says Erica Russo, Bloomingdale’s vice president and fashion director of beauty and accessories. "Our customer loves the bag for its functionality, vibrant colors, and chic styling.”