The Manufactured Nostalgia Behind the Herschel Backpack

At some point in the last few years, Herschel Supply backpacks became ubiquitous in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. They’re worn by school children and stylish folks in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. They’re stocked at upscale retailers including Nordstrom and Barneys and at skate chains like Zumiez. More than 4,000 stores carry them, and the company keeps about 15 factories in China busy. In the fall of 2014, Herschel brought over about 300 containers of backpacks.

A Herschel backpack is a rejiggered take on the classic form. One of the hottest styles, the Little America, is a rectangle with a flap closure held by the kinds of straps and buckles a 19th century miner would have used. It costs $69.99. The Pop Quiz, which is the same price, looks like the one you remember carrying in fifth grade. But some of the backpacks’ elements come in unexpected colors and combinations—a bag could have a sky blue body, a white pocket with a blue flap, and fuchsia straps.