The bum bag is back in vogue, I hear. Designers and marketeers now call it belt bag, waist pack or body pocket. The concept is the same than thirty years ago: back in the 80s, the bum bag was rather unassuming and deliberately anonymous as an object. It was an eminently practical solution for those who needed a safe, lightweight pocket to carry their personal items: travelers, sports people and urbanites, the first bum bag users, preferred function over fashion. Unlike in architecture, where bringing back the past is always a decadent sign of cultural weakness, revivals in design are peripatetic: they are part of the nomadic and dynamic process of giving new twists to old things, and bringing back what is likely to become trendy. These days, logo-heavy brands such as Gucci, Coach or Louis Vuitton are turning a peasant object into a sophisticated accessory that is all about style. Regardless, the relevance of a bum bag today seems greater than ever. The number of personal objects we carry along is too high for the pockets in our trousers and coats: cell phones, ipods, car keys, digital cameras and Altoid boxes require a larger pouch, a true unisex accessory that is both functional and fashionable. I had a black, nylon, bum bag years ago –it would seem prehistoric and authentic these days. I used it a lot until I lost it. But again, today’s expensive bum bags probably come with RIFD tags.
