Balenciaga 'The Giant' City in Tan

Regular price: £900.00
Regular price
Sale price: £900.00

Local duties and taxes calculated at checkout

Nicolas Ghesquère created the City bag in 2001 as a runway prototype — a logo-less, unstructured slouch at a moment when the industry was fixated on status hardware and rigid silhouettes. Balenciaga’s own executives were reluctant to put it into production. Only 25 were made; they were gifted to editors, models, and friends of the house. Then Kate Moss asked for one. The rest is a decade of photographs: every It girl, every front row, every paparazzi shot of the early 2000s seemed to feature a City bag tucked under an arm or swinging from a wrist.

The Giant hardware variant — introduced in 2007 with its dramatically oversized studs and braided handles — is among the most collectible iterations of the original silhouette, representing the City at its most design-forward. That cultural memory is holding: in 2024 Balenciaga re-released the original silhouette as the Le City, a direct acknowledgement of the original’s enduring weight — and a clear signal that the vintage is the one to own.

Size + Condition

Material: Distressed lambskin leather in sand/tan with aged silver-tone Giant hardware.

Features: Signature hand-braided leather top handles with Giant stud detailing, front exterior zip pocket with oversized stud pulls, dual side buckle straps with Giant studs, top zip closure, detachable flat leather shoulder strap with silver-tone hardware and mirror cardholder. Interior finished in black fabric lining with multiple zip and slip pockets.

Era: Giant Hardware Era, c. 2007–2012. (Serial Number: 173084 502752 — Made in Italy.)

Measurements

Width: 25 cm

Height: 38cm

Depth: 10cm

Handle drop: 38 cm top handles

Condition: Good

This bag presents in good pre-owned condition and shows signs of mild wear consistent with regular use:

Body of the bag is in generally good condition. The reverse side shows very mild surface marking and light scratching to the leather, consistent with wear over time.
Corners of the bag show mild darkening and dirt accumulation with wear.
Base of the bag shows a slightly worn appearance, consistent with regular use; no obvious flaw or structural damage.
Top of the braided handles shows more evident darkening with wear — the most notable area of use on the bag.
Giant silver-tone hardware — including studs, zip pulls and buckles — is in generally good condition throughout.
Interior black fabric lining shows mild signs of use but remains in good overall order.
Accompanied by the original leather mirror cardholder and detachable shoulder strap.

Accompanied by an EBV London dustbag.

We encourage you to review all product imagery carefully before purchase.

Further Information

Every piece sold by EBV London is pre-owned and (unless stated otherwise); as vintage items, each bag carries the natural patina of a previous life — minor signs of wear are part of their story. Anything more substantial is documented in detail within the "Size + Condition" section of the listing and we encourage you to browse product imagery carefully to best ensure confidence in your purchase.

Please note: EBV London is an independent vintage and archival luxury reseller. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or otherwise connected to any of the fashion houses whose pieces we sell. All trademarks, logos and brand names remain the property of their respective owners — our work lies in the curation, authentication and resale of pre-owned designer pieces.

Authenticity

Authenticity sits at the heart of everything we do. Every bag is hand-inspected by our in-house team, who specialise in archival luxury and carefully scrutinise craftsmanship, hardware, date codes, material signatures and construction details that distinguish each house. Where original authentication cards, date codes, dust bags or receipts accompany a piece, they are included with the bag. Please visit the ‘Authenticity’ page for additional information.

Shipping + Returns

All orders are dispatched from London within 48 hours of purchase via DHL Express — fully tracked, signature-required on delivery, and insured for the full value of your piece. Once your bag is on its way, you'll receive a tracking link by email so you can follow it from our hands to yours. We ship worldwide; international buyers may be liable for import duties or taxes levied by their destination country at the point of arrival.

If your bag isn't quite right, you may return it within 14 days of delivery for a refund. Returns must be sent back in the exact condition received, with all accompanying items (dust bag, authenticity card and packaging where supplied), and with the EBV London security tag attached and intact. Return postage is arranged by you using a fully tracked and insured service — we recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery within the UK or DHL Express internationally. To start a return, email info@ebvlondon.com within the 14-day window quoting your order number, and we'll confirm next steps before anything is sent back.

Every bag is also backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee. For full terms, please visit our 'Refund & Returns Policy' page.