Shrinking UNIQLO's Best Bag Is the Only Way to Make It Bigger
UNIQLO's Round Bag just won't quit. The staggeringly popular $20 shoulder bag was the hottest accessory of 2023 and continued to dominate 2024 with fresh makeovers and a new look that proved nearly as saleable.
The only way to make UNIQLO's viral bag bigger? Make it smaller.
UNIQLO's Round Ultra-Mini Bag is the same all-purpose fanny-pack-turned-shoulder-pouch that millions of people — I assume — already own, just smaller.
And not only physically, though it is noticeably tiny even compared to its already minute forebear. The Round Ultra-Mini Bag is also somehow even cheaper, retailing for a mere $15 on UNIQLO's site.
Now, this kind of bargain pricing ought to give pause to even the most ardent believers in UNIQLO's status as a sort of balm to fast fashion. But it won't make the new bag any less popular. Not only is there ardent consumer interest in small stuff, an extension of extant trends, but a cheaper and more stashable version of a proven hit bag is practically a guaranteed smash.
UNIQLO's Ultra-Mini Round Bag is hitting at a time where UNIQLO has never been more vital.
Beyond the red-hot shoulder bags, UNIQLO's sub-labels are seeing similarly unprecedented boomtimes.
UNIQLO: C, for instance, is a collection of minimalist staples overseen by newfound UNIQLO artistic director Clare Waight Keller. Its Spring/Summer 2025 collection comprises almost absurdly simple packable jackets, unbranded sweaters, collared shirts, and relaxed trousers.
And yet, it's the buzziest UNIQLO collection of the past few years. Don't just take my word for it! Check TikTok, where even videos simply announcing UNIQLO: C restocks garner thousands of views.
Likewise, don't expect the relatively quiet launch of UNIQLO's tiniest Round Bag to stay quiet for long.
The secret sauce here is a combo of appreciably understated aesthetic branding and extremely approachable prices, which make UNIQLO shoppers feel like they're stocking up on permanent staples rather than bargain pick-ups. UNIQLO's new bag, though, is very much both.
