Be it a dip in the pool, a quick spa trip or a Sunday brunch, the raffia factor in bags is making a fashion statement this season. Fashion brands are creating their own versions while fashionistas and celebrities are making heads turn with the best in types and sizes.
From pop icon Rihanna seen sporting a slouchy black raffia bag from Saint Laurent for her vacation in south of France to American actor Zoe Kravitz strolling in New York City in her raffia beach bag from The Row, celebrities like Katie Holmes, Heidi Klum, Sofía Vergara, Gisele Bündchen, Gigi Hadid, Dua Lipa, Chiara Ferragni, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, and many others have been seen fancy a raffia bag, shoe design with glittering highlights, delicate embroidery, or colour contrasts.
Raffia is a natural fibre like jute, bamboo and hemp, and is obtained from the raffia palm tree. It is known for its various uses, including weaving, handicrafts, and packaging. The eco-friendly fibre juxtaposed with style and versatility is trending, and how.
Major fashion houses like to put the raffia factor into colourful and natural straw bags and shoes. A host of brands like Hermès, Gucci, The Row, Cult Gaia, Zimmermann, and Simon Miller have already incorporated raffia in their collections. Some brands are blending luxury and artisanal craftsmanship. After debuting at Chloé’s spring 2025 runway show, the brand’s raffia style features a curved silhouette, a banana-shaped handle, and a subtle cursive logo, it stands out from the other raffia handbags from a design perspective. Chloé has partnered with Made For A Woman, a social enterprise in Madagascar, to empower female artisans and promote ethical fashion. This partnership focuses on improving the quality of life for marginalised women in Madagascar through the creation of handmade bags, hats, and accessories. The collaboration with Made For A Woman is part of Chloé’s broader commitment to social and environmental sustainability.
Prada’s crochet tote exemplifies the brand’s commitment to luxury and artisanal craftsmanship, blending traditional weaving techniques with modern design, while Jimmy Choo has a soft and bold woven raffia handbag, enriched by crystal embellishments. It earns its iconic status with a contemporary bucket silhouette that is crowned with a bracelet handle. This design is complete with a chain shoulder strap that offers multiple styling options.
Milan-based luxury fashion brand Marni has collaborated with Colombian artisans for unique striped jute pieces. Loewe’s raffia bags, such as the Puzzle bag reimagined in raffia and the Punch Hole hobo bag combining raffia with leather, have become iconic pieces.
Ralph Lauren’s artisanal bags, which debuted on the Spring 2025 runway, draw inspiration from the fine details found in automotive design. It features an array of highly considered details, including a sleek top handle, a calfskin keybell embellished with a ‘Ralph Lauren’ engraved metal plate, adjustable buckled side tabs and hand-painted edges.Zara, Miraggio, Charles & Keith have included a woven, raffia-effect to their bags collection, along with India-based brand Twirl and Tote, blending contemporary design with traditional craftsmanship.
For its recent collection launched this month, titled ‘The Holiday’, Miraggio’s limited-edition collection has breezy and playful lemon embroidery to canvas styles in sailor stripes and ship knots, very apt as travel minis.
It is raffia’s sustainability and aesthetic appeal that has made it a popular choice in the fashion and design industries, particularly for bags. The palm fibre is harvested from the raffia tree, primarily found in Madagascar and parts of Africa. Its harvesting is considered a sustainable practice, which means that the plant is not harmed during the process and can continue to grow and produce. Once harvested, the leaves are stripped, and their strands are dried in the sun, which have a natural earthy sand colour. It is this natural look that gives the accessories a warm, handwoven, lightweight, and breathable texture that has now become a summer staple for beachwear, markets, and boho-inspired fashion.
Now because it is a sustainable plant fibre, it supports traditional weaving techniques like crochet, embroidery etc, so styles like totes, clutches, crossbody bags, baskets, and handbags are common.
With sustainability in mind, one of the most appealing aspects of raffia bags is their handmade quality. Unlike mass-produced accessories, each raffia bag often bears the mark of the artisan who created it. This connection to human hands and heritage techniques adds depth and character to the final product, making each piece unique. In many regions, raffia weaving is a traditional craft passed down through generations like a traditional craft, particularly prominent in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean islands like Madagascar and Reunion, as well as in southeast Asia, specifically among the Borneo tribes. Their blend of sustainability, craftsmanship, and aesthetic appeal makes raffia bags an ideal choice for those who want to look good and feel good about what they carry.
