Tassels are back. Not the boho Levi's long-fringe of the 1970s, not the boem-leather Isabel Marant bag of the 2010s. This time - on bags with 40% more presence on the runways for the spring-summer 2026 season compared to last year. And it isn't a coincidence. It's a coordinated move by all the major fashion houses.

On the list: Burberry, Victoria Beckham, Bottega Veneta, Etro, Stella McCartney, Michael Kors Collection, Balmain, Acne Studios, Sportmax. When more than half of the 30 major brands suddenly pick the same idea - that's strategy, not trend.

But the new tassel isn't the one from the 1970s. Forget brown leather fringe with metal studs. This year's model is quiet, minimalist, in neutral tones - beige, cream, black, rarely a colour. The tassels don't hang like curtains - they're presented in a single layer, that delicate movement effect that makes every step slower and more graceful.

Historically, tassels don't come from the Wild West. The ancient Sumerians in Mesopotamia wore them as far back as 3,000 BCE - but not as decoration. Back then they were thick strips of wool, vertically arranged, that formed men's skirts. Women started wearing tassels on clothes only toward the end of the 18th century. At the same time they also appeared on military uniforms, on the chairs and rugs of wealthy homes.

What does this mean in practice? If you have an old fringe-bag in brown leather from 2014, this model has nothing to do with it. The same trend isn't coming back - this is a new translation. A Balkan reader will recognise this scenario - when fashion recycles what 20 years ago was thrown on the flea-market table and now sells for 800 euros under the same approach. The question is whether we're ready to pay again.