To all the bags I’ve loved before, I’m sorry to announce that my one true love will always be one that I received as a Christmas gift from my mom when I was 15: a turquoise Kate Spade purse. It was my first-ever real ~designer~ bag and it was admittedly the catalyst to my bag shopping addiction (no regrets!). Still, Kate Spade has always held a special place in my heart, as I’ve learned through the years that it does for so many other people too.
While my first item from the brand was a tiny little crossbody that I carried everywhere—even though I had no wallet, no money, and was carrying straight vibes—I loved it, and I began to scour the website regularly to admire the array of silhouettes and vibrant designs I added to my wish list. High on that list? The iconic Sam bag.
The ’90s aesthetic has always been a favorite of mine, and this particular style remains a classic to this day thanks to its minimalist design and sleek geometric shape. While I never did end up getting my hands on it, it seems good things really do come to those who wait, as Kate Spade just rereleased the Sam Icon bags with a revamped look in honor of the brand’s 30th anniversary.
Shop Our Favorite Picks From the Reimagined Kate Spade Collection
This time around, the components of the new nylon Sam bags are made of 100 percent recycled materials in an effort to highlight the brand’s move to produce items more responsibly. Browsing the revamped assortment of playful patterns and vibrant colorways, it definitely hits at the nostalgia while also feeling like a more grown-up and evolved version of the bag I fell in love with all those years ago.
These new designs are available in a variety of styles such as a small tote, a mini tote, a crossbody, and a convertible, and we’re willing to bet they’ll be flooding your Instagram feed and TikTok FYP this season.
Daisy Maldonado is an editor who covers everything from the latest fashion news to deeper looks at beauty culture and the internet’s most talked-about pop culture moments. She’s especially interested in the intersection of style and digital culture, and loves exploring what the trends we follow say about us. When she’s not writing, she’s probably four pages deep on The RealReal searching for vintage designer pieces or planning her next trip abroad (she lived in Paris for a year and hasn’t stopped talking about it since). Her work has appeared in Vogue, Bustle, Allure, and many more.
