The more retro, the cooler: thanks to kiiikiii, the “Jelly Bag” craze is back — what’s the story behind this Y2K girly jelly bag?
The It bag from 20 years ago is making a comeback!
If you’ve been following Korean girl group kiiikiii lately, you may have spotted an accessory that’s hard to look away from in the concept photos for their second mini album, “Delulu Pack.” With its semi-transparent frosted finish, soft colors, and squishy jelly-like material, this bag instantly takes us back to the 2000s. The piece that’s recently sparked buzz on social media is the legendary “Jelly Firkin.”
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Dreamy material and a girly silhouette
This bag became a go-to for stylish girls from 2006 to 2008 because it reimagined a classic silhouette. Made of semi-transparent PVC, the Jelly Bag lets the contents peek through, creating a dreamy, mysterious feel. Its distinctive springy texture and candy-like colors make the originally elegant shape feel more approachable and girlish.
The playful story behind the name: Why is it called the “Firkin Bag”?
Beyond its eye-catching design, the bag also has the playful name Firkin. It’s a clever pun on the name of Hermès’s classic Birkin bag, reworked as a budget-friendly tribute or dupe.
In the early 2000s, this bold approach to challenging a classic and turning an unattainable design into an accessible jelly bag perfectly suited the rebellious, playful fashion attitude of the time.
From a nostalgic relic to a sought-after vintage treasure
Along with its eye-catching design, its accessible price was one reason it became a hit so quickly. At the height of the PVC trend, the bag retailed for around HK$ 1,200 to HK$ 1,800. For budget-conscious young women who wanted to show off their Y2K attitude, it was a dream piece that was relatively easy to get.
Twenty years later, Y2K style has made a strong comeback, bringing this former street-style hit back into the spotlight. These days, you can’t buy one at regular stores; you’ll need to dig through secondhand and vintage shops instead. At Korean vintage boutique Nine Folds, for example, every restock of the bag prompts a buying frenzy, and it is currently sold out.
With fashion icons such as kiiikiii leading the way, will the “jelly bag” craze continue this summer and become the next street-style essential? What do you think of the return of this nostalgic piece?
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