Y2K, It-bags and celebrity: the decade of logos and low-rise jeans.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 2 November 2026
What is Y2K fashion?
The look of the late 1990s and early 2000s: low-rise jeans, crop tops, velour tracksuits, butterfly clips, tinted sunglasses, metallics and baby-doll dresses, made famous by pop stars and reality TV. It returned strongly in the 2020s.
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Why were the 2000s the decade of the It-bag?
Luxury houses found that bags were their most profitable products, and celebrity photos made them must-haves. The Fendi Baguette, Dior Saddle, Balenciaga City and Louis Vuitton’s Murakami monogram were everywhere, often covered in logos.
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What else defined the 2000s?
- Boho chic, led by Sienna Miller and Chloé
- Skinny jeans and Hedi Slimane’s narrow Dior Homme suits
- Sex and the City, which turned designer shoes and bags into storylines
- Fast fashion: Zara and H&M brought runway trends to the high street in weeks, and H&M’s 2004 collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld began the designer–high street partnerships
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