Spring Bag Trends: The Tote Dominates as the Most – Wanted Bag

Searches for ‘Spring bags’ have surged 243%* with the season’s hottest bags and accessories revealed in a new report.  

The new Bags and Leather Goods Report by Salience Search Marketing assessed industry trends and what consumers search for by analysing 11 crucial performance indicators, including year-on-year visibility, search volume trends, and brand awareness. 

‘Tote bag’ was crowned the most-wanted item, with the report also uncovering the brand names dominating the industry. 

5 most-wanted Spring bags & accessories

1. Tote bag

Tote bags have forever been a staple favourite, with Spring 2024 continuing this trend. The timeless fashion piece is versatile in its use and is a perfect addition to Springwear. According to Salience Search Marketing’s report, ‘tote bag’ gains a sizeable search volume of 135,000 with a 22% increase in interest, highlighting a growing demand for the bag. 

2. Cardholders

This useful accessory has grown in popularity as more people opt for a compact, versatile card holder. For formal occasions, a cardholder is a favourable alternative to wallets to achieve a more elegant look. ‘Card holders’ sees a 40,500 search volume, with a 10% increase in interest. 

3. Shoulder bag

Shoulder bags are a versatile fashion accessory that can elevate any look. It’s no wonder that the bag sees an 8% increase in interest and a search volume of 40,500, indicating that shoulder bags are a favourable choice this Spring. 

4. Golden clutch bag

Clutch bags are the ultimate luxury piece to complete formal attire, with a 14% increase in interest and an 18,100 search volume for a ‘gold clutch bag’. This suggests that while fashion lovers opt for the everyday tote bag this spring, a stylish clutch bag is also in demand this season. 

5. Silver bags

Silver bags are a major handbag trend emerging in the bags and accessories industry. ‘Silver bags’ have seen a 19% increase in interest and a search volume of 12,100, with this fashion piece following the metallic trend, adding a chic layer to a casual everyday look this spring. 

The UK’s Top 5 Prominent Bags & Leather Goods Brands 

Along with uncovering the trending bags and leather goods, the report revealed the most prominent brands within the industry. 

Through analysing the number of monthly searches for each brand and calculating an owned social score that combines the number of followers and engagement rate across major social platforms for each brand, the report unveils the most prominent online bags and leather goods brands in the sector.

Rank	Brand	Brand searches per month	Owned social score
1	Gucci	301,000	103,050
2	Michael Kors	201,000	60,200
3	Versace	110,000	51,550
4	Prada	110,000	51,350
5	Coach	135,000	24,415

The findings uncover Gucci is the most prominent brand in the sector. With 301,000 brand searches per month and an owned social score of 103,050, Gucci is the market leader for brand awareness. This position suggests consumers turn to Gucci for their luxury bags and accessories. 

Michael Kors follows as the second most prominent brand in the sector, with an owned social score of 60,200 and an impressive 40.6 million social media followers.

Brett Janes, managing director at Salience Search Marketing, said: “This report allowed us to uncover the most sought-after items in the bags and leather goods industry, revealing the fashion pieces we should expect to see take over spring. 

“Tote bags are a favourite this season, with the fashion piece a popular topic on social media as the hashtag #totebag reached over 797,000 posts.  

“Notable names such as Gucci and Michael Kors dominate as the most prominent brands within the industry, highlighting a growing demand for luxury, designer pieces. 

“Regarding organic visibility, there has been a 28% increase in overall organic growth within the industry, demonstrating a successful strategy and a period of growth for brands, with this a crucial time for brands to continue amplifying their online presence to gain prominence in the year ahead.

“Overall, building a strong following and online presence across multiple channels becomes vital in driving sales and capitalising on the expanding market demand.”

Full PDF report available here.

Streetstyle images by JoJo Iles