A good designer bag carries all the essentials and some extra fashion cred. A great designer tote bag can make even the most basic sweater and sneakers look like a runway moment. Just ask Zendaya and her Loewe bag overflowing with fashion editors' approval.
On an Oct. 10 walk around Los Feliz, California, potentially on a break from prepping for Euphoria's long-awaited season 3, Zendaya wore the sort of all-time wardrobe essentials any self-respecting fashion girl has hanging in her closet. She layered a ribbed gray sweater over black trousers that were so relaxed, they could have been track pants. (Knowing Z, they more likely have tags from The Row or Louis Vuitton.) Miles away from a red carpet or Paris Fashion Week, she gave her Louboutin pumps collection the day off and instead slid into a pair of trendy On sneakers.
Those three elements are what I'd consider the building blocks of a chicly basic outfit: put-together without needing anything extra. Then Zendaya went the extra mile, pulling Loewe's squeeze bag over her shoulder. Clearly she's been glancing at Marie Claire's fall 2024 bag trends report: Oxblood is the color of the season, and the silhouette with a cushioned handle and curved silhouette has been a insider favorite since it debuted in Loewe's Fall 2023 collection.
This outfit might feel a little like history repeating for Zendaya's most dedicated fans. In between orchestrating Paris Fashion Week and Olympics looks with her image architect, Law Roach, earlier this month, Z carried the exact same Loewe bag over her shoulder for a trip to New York City. I can see why it's becoming one of her favorite luxury-meets-everyday styles: in addition to the runway-approved burgundy leather and playful gold charms, it's also just big enough to stash essentials for hopping between fashion capitals. (She's definitely got a tube of bright red lipstick in there.)
The Challengers star isn't often spotted in basic-sweater-and-sneakers mode. Most recently, she attended her one and only show of fashion month, Louis Vuitton, in a reimagined bubble skirt with a ladylike top handle bag on her arm. Before that, she changed between a Burberry gown and a Vuitton bubble dress for a film screening back in the Big Apple.
Louis Vuitton gets the most credits in Zendaya's on- and off-duty wardrobe since she's an ambassador for the house. She stretched the partnership in playful directions over the summer, carrying a series of vintage Louis Vuitton bags in addition to wearing custom gowns by Nicolas Ghesquière for the Challengers press tour and a pre-Olympics red carpet.
Loewe, on the other hand, is a special kind of squeeze for the actor. Creative director Jonathan Anderson also designed the costumes for Challengers, including the symbolic "I Told Ya" T-shirt that went on to be a viral hit. While on set, Anderson also introduced Zendaya to On sneakers, queuing her up for her first athleticwear partnership and a new-favorite pair of tennis shoes.
Loewe bags began appearing more prominently in Zendaya's wardrobe after the film wrapped. Friends supporting friends!
Even if Zendaya wasn't on first-name basis with the designer, something tells me the Loewe Squeeze bag would look right at home in her closet.
