When Taylor Swift arrived at The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on December 10, her teddy bear Max Mara coat implied she went purse-less. Turns out, a celebrity-beloved bag from Saint Laurent was hiding beneath its comfy-cozy fur.
Swift's first The Late Show With Stephen Colbert appearance since 2021 was a success, as proven by clips with over 640,000 likes on Instagram. After the late-night taping, the pop star traded her velvet David Koma mini for her arrival look. Once again, stylist Joseph Cassell Falconer dressed her in an Agolde bodysuit, a plaid Miu Miu mini skirt, brown Christian Louboutin knee-highs, and the $3,370 jacket. At first, Swifties assumed the coat was the outfit—a claim she tested the evening prior with a 2012-inspired duffle from Louis Vuitton. However, her swift exit from the Ed Sullivan Theater confirmed a Saint Laurent clutch took top billing.
ICYMI, Swift fit only the essentials (i.e. her statement red lipstick) in Saint Laurent's Cassandre Crossbody Bag in the Dark Ruby tone. The rectangular $1,300 silhouette mirrored that of an envelope, topped with the label's yellow gold "YSL" emblem. It wasn't quite as on-the-nose as Blake Lively's red-and-green color combination on Dec. 9. Even so, you can't deny the festive undertone of any red, green, and gold outfit.
Taylor Swift debuted her second Saint Laurent Cassandre Bag after the late-night show.
Eagle-eyed Swifties may recognize its signature shape from another night out in NYC. Back in Nov. 2023, the green Cassandre joined Swift and Gracie Abrams at Freemans Restaurant. Similar to her latest look, the envelope-style clutch almost went unnoticed behind her double-breasted Gant coat, little white Alaïa dress, and platform Sézane loafers. The Grammy winner's patent emerald shade is no longer shoppable, but Saint Laurent still offers green Cassandres on yellow gold chains.
Blink and you'll miss Saint Laurent's green Cassandre on Taylor in 2023.
Like Swift with song titles, Saint Laurent names each piece with intention. The Cassandre was no different. As of right now, there are over 500 styles called Cassandre, after Adolphe Mouron Cassandre, the man who designed the iconic "YSL" logo in 1961. Each interpretation boasts the instantly-recognizable emblem on its front.
Zoë Kravitz, Swift's longtime friend, also owns a four-figure Cassandre, except hers is in black. The compact body and chainlink strap made it the obvious pick for this year's Golden Globe Awards, W Magazine's Best Performances Party, and a Mickey17 premiere. She re-wore it in February to Danielle Haim's birthday party, which Swift sadly had to miss. (Rumor has it, the singer was with Travis Kelce after the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl loss.)
See the Cassandre on Zoë's shoulder in Feb. 2025.
As far as Swifties know, the Cassandre is one of three Saint Laurent bags in Swift's collection, joining 2016's Medium Matelasse, 2020's Kate Monogram Bag, and 2023's Le 5 à 7 tote. So, why the Cassandre? Perhaps she bought it while writing The Tortured Poets Department, which features the song "Cassandra." (The album did drop in April 2024, just six months after she debuted the green Cassandre.)
It might be a stretch, but Sarah Chappelle, the author behind @TaylorSwiftStyled finds the theory legitimate, too. "A part of me can't help but wonder if Taylor felt kinship to a bag that also shared a name with Cassandra, of Greek myth fame who was doomed to utter prophecies that no one would believe," she wrote on Instagram. We know Swift adores a sartorial Easter egg.
Shop Saint Laurent's Cassandre Bag Inspired by Taylor Swift
