I was known as the bag lady growing up. What was in it was what many found most interesting. You’ve got your snacks, lip gloss, sunglasses, and back then, Barbie dolls, a fake phone, and stolen Monopoly money. Over two decades later, I’m still obsessed with the contents I lug around the city, and even more so during one of the biggest fashion weeks of the year, New York Fashion Week.
The “What’s in my bag” trend fed my soul. To know what celebrities or even random girls on TikTok were carrying felt like getting a glimpse into their lives. There’s something deeply personal about the contents of someone’s bag. It’s an unfiltered snapshot of their priorities, indulgences, and rituals. During Fashion Week, this fascination reaches fever pitch as industry insiders navigate the chaos of back-to-back shows, brand events, and street style photographers that stretch from morning to night.
Fashion Week flips many editors’ routines completely, meaning their bag now acts as their closet, vanity, and office. It can make or break your experience when you’re running between shows. Portable chargers are essential when your phone acts as your laptop—documenting show notes, confirming appointments with publicists, staying on top of emails, and navigating between venues. Only the brave and trained walk the NYC streets in heels, so it’s not unusual to see a pair of flats or sandals popping out of totes. With a stacked showlist, skipping meals isn’t uncommon (though not recommended), so a quick granola bar could be the refuel you need to make it to that last presentation. And it wouldn’t be an editor’s bag if it didn’t include the lip combo of the day.
While the bag’s contents are crucial, so is the bag itself. Many editors don’t have time to switch bags between events, so choosing the right one becomes critical. Your bag needs to seamlessly transition from a formal runway show to an intimate showroom appointment to an after-party, all while looking appropriate for each setting and outfit. Size matters tremendously: too small, and you can’t fit your essentials; too large, and it becomes cumbersome when navigating crowded venues. The ideal Fashion Week bag strikes a perfect balance between design, functionality, and versatility.
To satisfy my eternal curiosity and yours, I divulged my bag and essentials and asked five seasoned editors to spill the contents of their go-to bags and reveal the coveted items they’ll be carrying during New York Fashion Week.
“I always say my Longchamp is my ‘life bag’ because it works for so many occasions. I’ve had mine since college, and not only does it still look brand new, but all of the hardware remains intact, regardless of how much I stuff or throw it around. It’s the perfect bag to throw in my laptop, shoes, passes, and lip gloss without being afraid to scuff anything up. A girl on the go needs a bag that fits her lifestyle, and this bag is the epitome of fit for a New Yorker.” -Ariel Baker, Beauty Editor & Writer
“I cannot live without a good lip balm. I’d argue that your look will always be incomplete if your lips are dry, so I keep a ton of different lip products in my bag at any given time. I’ve been obsessed with the Glossier Lip Glaze from the recent KATSEYE collab. It is the perfect top gloss.”
“This New York Fashion Week, I’m running around to a bunch of shows and I need bags that can pack a punch with my look, and pack all of my essentials inside. I kicked off fashion week with my Boyy Wonton 25 bag, which looks small but is deceptively spacious. [My bag] holds my mission critical must-haves: hand lotion (I’ve been loving my L’Occitane hand cream), a portable charger, my way too complicated lip combo (a mix of Refy, Fenty Beauty, Milani, MAC and more), a tiny mic, Google Pixel Buds Pro headphones, mints and my Canon digital camera straight from 2007.” -Anika Reed, USA Today, Senior News Editor
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“I’m fully in autumn mode despite the temperatures, so when I was gifted the Brahmin Iona bag in their rich cherry lacquer shade, I knew it’d be on my arm all season long (that’s including fashion week). It’s spacious enough to carry my laptop and all my other essentials, plus [it] will make a bold statement alongside any of my outfits.” -Jailynn Taylor, Freelance Fashion Editor & Writer
”I was recently gifted Coach’s Brooklyn bag, and as soon as I received it, I began wearing it. To me, it’s the ideal carry-all for New York Fashion Week due to how chic and understated it is. But it can also carry quite a bit. Since I plan to bring along my laptop, and other essentials like a Belkin portable charger, it’s key that a bag doesn’t feel heavy. I’ve tested this out pre-NYFW, and the Brooklyn can fit plenty of essentials without feeling overstuffed or as though it’s weighing you down.” -Robyn Mowatt, Senior Contributing Fashion Editor