Kaia Gerber is the most unabashed outfit repeater I've ever encountered. When the 23-year-old comes across a piece she loves, she fully commits and buys backups in multiple shades. Capsule wardrobes may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the model's wardrobe could make anyone reconsider.
On Mar. 12, the Library Science book club founder stepped out for a lunch date wearing only her most beloved closet staples. She matched a loose pair of black trousers to a cropped black V-neck cashmere sweater that was rolled up to her elbows like an old-school J.Crew catalog muse. Her chunky knit coordinated well with her extremely broken-in Repetto black leather ballet flats. Not a day goes by where she isn't traipsing around New York City or Los Angeles in these French girl-favorite slippers, which were created at the personal request of Brigitte Bardot. But the accessory we really need to discuss here is the Bottoms actor's trusty Paloma Wool tote: a crackled black leather style called the Philana bag.
With a row of oversized silver grommets lining the bag's rim, this edgy shopper has basically taken up permanent residence on the star's arm for the last six months. The under-$500 bag's first sighting came in late October 2024 when Gerber wore it to run errands in her black SUV. And in January alone, she reached for it four times as the finishing touch to her athleisure-laden breakup outfit, her off-duty theater kid uniform, her comfy-casual matcha run look, and her soft-launch date-night ensemble. She also owns the versatile carryall in an aged brown leather colorway.
What makes the Spanish brand's studded leather accessory so appealing? One explanation is its unique dimensions, which split the difference between a shoulder bag you can tuck neatly beneath your arm and a tote bag you can pile high with possessions. This style also happens to be wider than it is tall, making it an ideal example of the East-West bag trend's far-reaching implications. Starting in 2022, nearly every luxury designer from Dior and Bottega Veneta to Hermès and Louis Vuitton has incorporated the trend into their lineups at least once.
Three years into the East-West trend cycle, bags of this shape are now available at a wide range of price points. And the obsession with compact, rectangular styles doesn't seem to be slowing down. But don't take my word for it—take Kaia Gerber's.
