Balenciaga’s $5,650 Rodeo Is Fashion’s New Favorite Laptop Bag

Some It bags are born in an instant, taking off right after their runway debut and quickly cementing themselves in the fashion consciousness. Others are more of a slow-burn. They take a few seasons, sometimes even years, to percolate until one day—boom. Celebrities with fan bases the size of small countries carry them on pap walks, every tastemaker you follow on Instagram has one, and you start spotting them in the wild, too, swinging from the shoulders of impossibly chic strangers passing by on the street. Suddenly, you realize: Okay, this bag has arrived.

Such is the story of Balenciaga’s Rodeo bag. First introduced in February 2024, the slouchy leather tote has slowly but surely become the dark-horse bag trend of 2026. Though arguably, a bag named after Beverly Hills’ most famous luxury shopping district was always destined for greatness.

On the streets of Paris Fashion Week, the Rodeo was nearly as common a sight as slim cigarettes and the color black, appearing on industry darlings like Gabriella Karefa-Johnson and A-listers alike. Ahead of Balenciaga's' Fall 2026 runway show in the French capital, Love Story star Sarah Pidgeon carried a medium chestnut-colored version in the crook of her elbow—the closest thing we have to a Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy co-sign in modern times.

With its wide, rectangular shape, turn-lock closures, and roomy double-compartment interior, Balenciaga’s Rodeo bag calls to mind a ready-for-business vintage briefcase. Unlike the stiff leather boxes of the Mad Men era, though, this one slouches: think of it as the final boss of cool-girl work bags.

Available in sizes from mini to extra-large, the Rodeo comes in intentionally beat-up lambskin and supple suede, with shades including weathered rose quartz and vegetal-tanned caramel. Its front compartment is designed to droop open like a lazy smile—a detail that feels especially prescient in hindsight. When the bag launched in Summer 2024, fashion had not yet fully embraced the strange appeal of slightly open, faintly pickpocket-friendly bags; by Spring 2026, the trend was everywhere, making the Rodeo feel like an early warning sign.

As Moda Operandi's director of accessories, Ryan Kleman, puts it, "The Rodeo is a triple threat of form, function, and attitude." Its logo-less design, straightforward functionality, and timeless construction, "assure the customer that it's a sound investment," he says, adding that the Rodeo was Moda's top Balenciaga handbag of 2025.

Plus, it’s a bag that exudes insouciance, a quality that’s always catnip to the fashion crowd. “[The Rodeo] reminds me of a vintage Hermès Kelly,” says content creator Cassidy Crockett, who bought the large tan calfskin Balenciaga bag between runway shows in Paris last week. “It’s a very Jane Birkin bag, in the sense that you don’t have to be precious with it. I wanted something fresh and new but with character—something that, if I scratched it, would look fitting.”

Aesthetics aside, Crockett invested in the Rodeo because of the practicality afforded by its briefcase-inspired construction. “I was looking for a large designer bag that can hold my laptop and miscellaneous items without looking bulky and that I can use when traveling and running errands,” she says. Enter the Rodeo, a bag "meant to be slouchy and full, that you can fit a bunch of things in it, and it’ll still look good."

The same goes for content creator Ben Taylor—because yes, the Rodeo tote is for all Birkin enthusiasts, not just the girls. “I was looking for a new travel bag and narrowed it down to the Bottega Veneta Andiamo Voyager and the Balenciaga Rodeo,” he says. “I was already leaning toward the Andiamo, but after seeing the Rodeo in person, especially in the extra-large size, I immediately knew that was the one."

Taylor now uses his super-sized 18.9-inch Rodeo as a carry-on, bringing it with him to F1 Melbourne and resort trips to the British Virgin Islands. “It has this really chic, understated look while still feeling like a practical travel bag,” he writes over email. And while the Rodeo’s signature slouch is part of its appeal, Taylor notes that packing it with a large laptop or other heavy items can make the Rodeo’s signature slouch feel even more pronounced, giving the bag an even more open, relaxed shape. Still, he adds, “I love using it for travel and even just running errands around the city.”

If what you want is a midcentury executive briefcase with a rigid, upright shape, the Rodeo probably isn’t it. Its slouchiness is what makes the Rodeo the Rodeo. That lived-in quality has its perks: "Pre-worn pleats, softened piping, and raw edges on the bag’s upper portion call to mind a favorite item worn every day for an extended period with subtle markings suggesting the passage of time," as Balenciaga notes in a press release.

The front flap’s pre-creased corners fold easily, while the soft leather construction and side closures allow the bag to expand around whatever you need to stuff inside—a spare pair of commuter flats, say, or that book you’ve been carrying around for months without opening. Then there’s the Jane Birkin factor. The Rodeo recalls the poster child of French je ne sais quoi and her famously well-loved handbags, which may be its greatest asset of all.

Ahead, shop an abridged edit of the Balenciaga Rodeo bag in a range of sizes and colors. The smaller styles are ideal for errands, while the larger ones make a strong case as 2026’s chicest laptop and travel bags.

Shop Balenciaga's Rodeo Bag