Welcome to our list of 10 Classic Luxury Bags Every Bag Lover Should Know!
There are so many designer bags out there it can be hard to keep track of all, but there are some styles very handbag lover should know! Here you’ll see famous bags I’m sure you know, but also some understated classics that might surprise you.
So, without further ado here are 10 Classic Luxury Bags Every Bag Lover Should Know:
1. Louis Vuitton Speedy
The Louis Vuitton Speedy was first introduced in the 1930s but remains one of the most recognizable and popular styles of all LV bags. The LV Speedy purse was designed in response to advances in public transportation and the new need for a compact lightweight bag that was also large enough to hold your daily necessities. The shape is a mini version of the Louis Vuitton Keepall. This Louis Vuitton bag was made popular in the 1960s when Audrey Hepburn was seen carrying the Speedy multiple times, people say the bag was designed especially for her. The original Louis Vuitton Speedy bag was designed without a strap, but in 2011 Louis Vuitton released the Speedy Bandoulière with an adjustable shoulder strap that can be removed.
Until this day the Speedy remains one of the most collectible Louis Vuitton bags.
2. Hermès Kelly Bag
In 1935 Émile-Maurice Hermès diversified the brands offerings designing a bag for his wife to carry. Called the Sac à Dépêches the bag was practical and elegant with a classic style. The accessory achieved worldwide recognition in 1956 when the American actress and princess of Monaco Grace Kelly used her Sac à Dépêches to cover her pregnant belly. As soon as the photo of that is published on the cover of Life Magazine women from all over the world start running to Hermès asking for the Kelly Bag. In response the brand changed the bags name to the Kelly, and history was made.
Today an icon of elegance and sophistication, the Kelly is one of the most sought-after bags on the resale market, not only for its timeless style but also for the enduring allure of the woman it is named after.
3. Saint Laurent Sac de Jour
The most classic of all Saint Laurent bags the Sac De Jour was designed in 2013 by then creative director Hedi Slimane. The Sac De Jour or bag of the day was inspired by the Hermès Birkin and is one of those bags that will never go out of style. This bag also does not have flashy logos, only a small Saint Laurent Paris marking near the top. This bag is elegant, chic and fashionable and with the different sizes offered they can easily go from work, to lunch, to a night out.
This is an investment bag that you will not regret buying, it will easily be one of your favorite handbags!
4. Lady Dior
A bag that was designed almost 30 years ago in honor of one of the biggest style icons in fashion history, the Lady Dior is a classic! In 1995 Bernadette Chirac, then First Lady of France, requested Dior to custom design a bag for Lady Diana. The bag was gifted to the princess while she was on an official visit to Paris, it instantly became one of her favorite bags! After that Lady Diana was spotted multiple times carrying the bag, so Dior decided to change it’s name to the Lady Dior in 1996, with the princess’s blessing. Described as iconic and legendary the brand launched the bag in a larger series, becoming a favorite of Dior clients.
This is a bag that will take you through any occasion, it goes from day to evening seamlessly.
5. Chanel Classic Flap
The Chanel handbag that would ultimately become synonymous with the brand was not created until 1983. The Chanel Classic Double Flap was first introduced when Karl Lagerfeld became creative director and decided to reinterpret Chanel’s iconic 2.55 Flap Bag. From his artistic vision came two new features – a leather woven chain and Double C turn-lock closure. Lagerfeld’s Classic Double Flap was a breakout success.
Almost forty years later, and out of all the Chanel handbags on the market, the Classic Double Flap remains one of the most sought-after pieces ever crafted.
6. Valextra Iside Bag
Italian handbag brand Valextra was founded back in 1937, and its signature Iside bag is the ultimate quiet luxury piece. The triangular handbag has a recognizable if-you-know-you-know silhouette, but it doesn’t have the shouty branding you’ll find with other designer brands, so it’s a discreet option that won’t date easily, which, given the price, is essential. Expertly crafted by one of the label’s skilled artisans, this bag boasts a roomy interior and features a slender top handle and a detachable shoulder strap so you can opt to wear it crossbody or carry it by the top handle.
This is a classic bag that will never go out of style and that not many people know.
7. Givenchy Antigona Bag
The Antigona purse, which debuted in Givenchy’s fall/winter 2010 collection, is arguably the brand’s most well-known piece. As soon as it was made available for purchase, the Antigona quickly won the hearts of many celebrities, including Beyoncé, Chrissy Teigen, and Naomi Watts. The bag is named after the Greek mythology character Antigone. The Antigona is a gorgeously constructed piece of leather that is typically made of calfskin.
The bag has a large zip, a triangular GIVENCHY patch, and an adjustable and detachable shoulder strap.
8. Gucci Jackie 1961
Like the enduring allure of the woman it’s named after, The Jackie is a bag that will never go out of style. In 1961, Gucci introduced a Hobo-style bag that caught the eye of Jackie Kennedy, whose husband so famously loved Gucci’s loafer moccasins It’s said that upon seeing a paparazzi image of Jackie Kennedy with the bag (then called the Fifties Constance), the Gucci family quickly christened the bag the Jackie. The classic hobo-shape saw many iterations under Tom Ford and Frida Giannini, but its latest incarnation comes by way of Michele, who in 2021 gave us a spin on The Jackie with a bit more structure, an adjustable strap, and a piston closure. Brought back to the forefront, the recognizable shape is presented in many materials like leather and the GG Supreme canvas.
No matter which one you choose this is a beautiful bag that will be a cherished item in your wardrobe forever, perfect for any occasion!
9. Mark Cross Grace Box Bag
Mark Cross was established in Boston by Henry W. Cross, who affectionately named the company after his only son. Cross founded his company on a simple passion: to create the finest leather goods for horse riders. Mark Cross later expanded its range of products and quickly became the quintessential American luxury lifestyle brand. Inspired by the overnight case created for Grace Kelly in “Rear Window,” the iconic Grace Box is a top handle handbag with an adjustable and detachable leather shoulder strap.
Originally designed in the 1950’s this elegant design is the most iconic bag of the brand, it is quiet, chic and is one bag every bag lover should know!
10. Prada Galleria Bag
Few things are more classic than the Prada Galleria bag, rooted in tradition, the Galleria is more than just a bag, it’s an icon. Though the bag was originally introduced in 2007, the history of the bag dates back to Prada’s humble beginnings. The bag gets its name from the “Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II”, which is where Mario Prada opened his first store in Milan in 1913. A hallmark of Prada’s 21st century identity, the design was first offered in Saffiano leather – a scratch and water-resistant calfskin, a material patented by Mario Prada and still a hallmark of the brand today. Reminiscent of the frame-shapes and medicine-style bags popular in the mid-century, the Galleria bag references classic styles of the past while remaining current.
This bag represents everything that Prada’s DNA is rooted in and is one of the 10 Classic Luxury Bags Every Bag Lover Should Know!
