Fashion’s new favourite accessory: Resort bags

Summer's most coveted arm candy is sculptural, whimsical, and surprisingly wearable long after you've unpacked your suitcase.

Aug 10, 2026 | by Bani Sachar

There was a time when the resort bag had one job: carry your SPF, a paperback novel, and perhaps a slightly melted lip balm from your hotel room to the lounger. Functional? Absolutely. Memorable? Rarely. Not anymore.

This season, fashion has fallen in love with bags that feel less like accessories and more like conversation starters. Think shell-shaped clutches cast in gleaming metal, fish rendered in handwoven leather, raffia sculpted into fantastical forms, and minaudières that could just as easily belong in an art gallery as on a dinner table overlooking the Mediterranean. The modern resort bag isn't simply designed for a holiday– it captures the carefree optimism that holidays represent.

Perhaps that's precisely why they're resonating now. In an era where destination dressing has become its own category, travellers are curating wardrobes with the same intention as they do itineraries. The accessories coming along for the ride aren't afterthoughts either. They're often the hero pieces, transforming the simplest linen dress or oversized white shirt into a complete holiday narrative. The runways certainly got the memo. At Chanel, the Cruise collections have long romanticised escapism. Still, this season leaned further into fantasy with exquisitely crafted minaudières inspired by nature, including the now-coveted Acorn Minaudière—a reminder that whimsy has firmly entered luxury's vocabulary.

Cult Gaia, meanwhile, continues to blur the lines between handbag and sculpture, producing shell-inspired silhouettes and bauble-covered shoulder bags that look equally at home on a Greek island or paired with tailoring back in the city. Designers across Milan and Paris embraced tactile materials too: raffia, wicker, woven leather, crochet, resin, fringe and natural wood all became central to resort collections, reflecting fashion's renewed appreciation for craftsmanship over conspicuous logos.

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The celebrity set has been equally persuasive. During her endless carousel of European summers, Dua Lipa has repeatedly championed raffia totes and woven shoulder bags with vintage-inspired silhouettes. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley proves that a sculptural bag instantly elevates minimalist dressing, often pairing shell-inspired clutches with monochromatic resort looks. Jennifer Lawrence, forever the queen of understated luxury, has embraced woven leather bags that transition seamlessly from beachside lunches to city errands. At the same time, Elsa Hosk and Matilda Djerf have made artisanal raffia and handwoven textures a permanent fixture of their summer wardrobes.

What makes this trend particularly compelling, however, is that it isn't confined to European luxury houses anymore. Some of the most exciting interpretations are coming from independent labels and Indian designers who are reimagining resort dressing through a more playful lens. Take The Vin Store's Fishy, where supple leather is transformed into an oversized fish silhouette that's equal parts surrealist object and impeccably crafted handbag. Outhouse's Koko Halo Cascade Clutch embraces the theatricality of the ocean, with cascading crystal embellishments that resemble water frozen mid-motion. Papa Don't Preach's Eternal Lagoon leans unapologetically maximalist, while Shara Atelier's Under The Sea Bag and The PDKF Store's Fish Bag embrace childlike nostalgia without ever feeling juvenile.

It's this sense of humour that makes the trend so refreshing. Fashion has spent years obsessed with "quiet luxury”—perfect proportions, discreet branding and investment pieces designed to disappear into a wardrobe. Resort bags are doing the opposite. They invite personality back into dressing. They're intentionally impractical in the best possible way, encouraging wearers to collect stories rather than simply essentials.

The appeal also lies in their versatility. A sculptural shell clutch no longer feels reserved for seaside dinners. Style it with relaxed denim and a crisp poplin shirt in the city, or let a whimsical fish-shaped bag punctuate an otherwise minimalist evening look. Raffia, too, has escaped its holiday-only reputation, pairing surprisingly well with tailoring, knitwear and transitional separates well into autumn. Perhaps that's why shoppers are increasingly viewing these pieces as investment buys rather than seasonal indulgences. Unlike trend-led micro bags that disappear after a single fashion cycle, artisanal resort bags celebrate craftsmanship first. Handwoven leather, intricate beadwork, raffia weaving, shell embellishment and sculptural metalwork all require an attention to detail that transcends fleeting trends. They're collectables in the truest sense. There's also something undeniably optimistic about them.

After seasons dominated by stealth wealth and restrained minimalism, fashion seems ready to embrace delight again. Whether it's a shell clasp, a fish silhouette, or an embellished fringe dancing with every step, these bags remind us that luxury doesn't always have to whisper. Sometimes, it's allowed to smile.

Perhaps that's the real beauty of the modern resort bag. It doesn't wait for your next beach holiday to justify itself. It simply brings a little of that holiday state of mind wherever you happen to be.

Below are some of our favourites.

Outhouse Koko Halo Cascade Clutch, ₹97,500