Right from Kylie Jenner to Deepika Padukone, style icons have been seen sporting them and the trend has trickled down to Chennai off late.

Rupjyoti Gogoi, a fashion blogger in the city, tells us of her first memories of these bags. “As an 80’s kid I still remember those fanny packs aka belted satchels that our fathers used to carry during each vacation to store their essentials. They were sure handy but I definitely didn’t like them,” says this mother of a seven-year-old girl. However, when it made a comeback, she was pleasantly surprised, she adds. “I must say, Gucci specially did an amazing job in giving it their classy touch. I like the fact that they are now much more chic and structured compared to their older cousins and the best part is they are so unisex! With fanny packs, one size sure fits all,” she expresses.

“When I saw Emily Ratajkowski sporting a fanny pack, I quite liked it. So I invested in a tiny, square-shaped one for myself,” says former freelance model Kinza Saleem. What she likes about it is its chic appearance that lends an aesthetic appeal to her outfit and its utility — “It’s compact enough to fit my phone, a lipstick, credit cards and my driver’s license so I don’t think it’s a design failure.”  Another advantage, according to Pavithra Acharya, is that she gets to keep her hands free. “I love bum bags so much that I own three! When I don’t like carrying clutches or purses, this is the best option.” Kinza agrees, “When I go shopping, I like looping these pouches around my waist so that unlike traditional bags, they won’t keep slipping off my shoulders.”