The Celine Luggage Tote is Back

Phoebe Philo’s aura still hovers over Celine even eight years after her exit. You’ve read it right—only 8 years after her departure, the brand has decided to bring back the Luggage Tote: the sculpted, winged masterpiece that was introduced by Philo in 2009 and ended up becoming the it-bag of the era, ruling every front row, street style snap, and Pinterest board in the early 2010s. And let’s be honest: this isn’t just a reissue, but a revival that’s reigniting one of the most emotional debates in fashion—“New Celine” vs. “Old Celine”.

Where Hedi Slimane’s (Phoebe Philo’s successor) Celine, a.k.a. “New Celine” was more bold and youthful, the “Old Celine” ignited sophistication, minimalism, and quiet luxury, the trend that has has been dominating the fashion scene lately. And Celine’s new creative director, Michael Rider (Hedi Slimane’s successor), seems to have an idea to capitalize on it, as the revival of the Luggage Tote plays perfectly into this aesthetic. But is he going to succeed? And will the new Celine Luggage Bag (now instead of the Luggage Tote they call it the Luggage Bag) be as popular as its predecessor? Let’s discuss while we take a closer look at the design!

Old Celine Luggage Tote Design

As mentioned earlier, the original Celine Luggage Tote was defined by a structured body with wing-like side panels, rolled handles, and, of course, the front zipper that gave the bag its famously charming “robot face” expression.

Released in 2010, it was initially offered in a handful of classic, neutral shades, such as black, grey, and blue. And this simplicity was intentional. Basically, the clean, architectural silhouette of the Celine Luggage Tote instantly set it apart from the overly embellished bags that dominated the late 2000s, making it the quiet-yet-commanding accessory everyone suddenly needed.

Then, in 2011, the design was updated to the Phantom, which kept the essence of the original but loosened up the vibe—think slouchier construction, more exaggerated wings, and elongated side ties that added a dash of bohemian drama. This was also the version of the bag which has garnered a significant celebrity following, including Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the Kardashian-Jenners among its loyal fans.

The New Celine Luggage Bag

So, the new Celine Luggage Bag derives its shape specifically from the Phantom version of the handbag. There are, however, a few key differences between the two styles. Starting with: the shape. Basically, instead of the boxy shape that defined the Phantom, the new Celine Luggage Bag takes on a stretched, east-west profile. The wingspan is also more pronounced, creating a sleeker, elongated shape, and the zippers now extend dramatically past the flaps, giving the bag a bit more movement and flair.

Another notable shift? The front zip. In this revival, Celine has emphasized it even more, creating an exaggerated, uplifted curve—almost a full-on grin—compared to the smaller, more subtly “robotic” smile of the Phantom. It gives the bag a bolder facial expression, if you will, and makes the design instantly more appealing. Not to even mention that the elongated shape of the new Celine Luggage Bag makes it much more spacious than the original Phantom.

Available Styles, Sizes & Prices

Celine presented their New Luggage Bag during the brand’s Spring 2026 Show, which took place in Paris in July of 2025. Thus, many of us have thought that we’d only see the bag in stores closer to Spring of 2026, but we were wrong—as Celine decided to pre-launch the bag ahead of time. Basically, from September 2025 we began seeing iterations of the bag in select Celine boutiques and online, with additional styles and sizes set to arrive as I am writing this article.

So, the first iterations of the new Celine Luggage Bag to launch were the “Smiling” New Luggage, and the “Flat Cabas”, which is more of a classic tote bag with a square body. The first one starts at $4,350 whereas the other one will set you back $2,100 plus tax.

Prices for the main New Luggage Bag, which is going to arrive in three main sizes (small, medium and large), start at $3,600.

Is the new version of the bag worth it?

But do we actually need to buy the new Celine Luggage Bag when many of us still own the original from the 2010’s? Or, if you don’t own the original, why not get it now through the pre-loved market? The thing is that Phoebe Philo-era Luggage Totes (Phantom included) are currently reselling for a fraction of what they once cost. And I think it’s actually really smart to get your hands on one of these bags now, as when the official launch happens, pre-loved prices are more than certainly going to jump.

But either way, I think that this launch is going to make a lot of “Old Celine” fans very happy. And I think that Celine couldn’t have chosen a better time to re-release the Luggage tote! Gotta strike the steel while it’s hot, as the quiet luxury trend will also be over some day.

Are you going to be purchasing Celine’s New Luggage Bag? Let’s chat in the comments!