Can Sarah Jessica Parker Make The Wide-Open Bag Trend Happen?

On Monday evening in London, Sarah Jessica Parker embraced a different kind of part. The voracious reader – who even has her own imprint with the independent book publisher Zando – attended the ceremony for the 2025 Booker Prize, for which she served as a judge.

The prestigious celebration honoured a range of authors and works, but shortly before the trophies were doled out from the Old Billingsgate stage, Parker hit the red carpet in high-flying style. While her embroidered dress with a corseted waist felt sweetly retro, we could not pry our eyes off of her accessories – namely, that wide-open handbag.

Photo: Getty Images

No, Parker did not leave home in a hurry and simply forget to close her top-handle Fendi purse. When it went down the spring/summer 2026 runway, the bag was left deliberately unfastened –allowing viewers to glimpse its glittering, sequined lining. Forget shelf appeal. With this bag, it’s what’s on the inside that counts!

Fendi is not the only luxury label to embrace the wide-open bag trend. We saw similar styles at Loewe, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Sure, you could call this movement a pickpocket’s dream, but there’s also something rather chic and insouciant about it, no?