Welcome to our video listing The 10 Most Iconic It Bags from the Last 30 Years!
Recent fashion history is filled with amazing bags but only a few reach it bag status. It bags are those iconic bags that become favorites of fashion lovers around the globe. But just because a bag is popular it doesn’t mean it is an it bag, the bag has to have a frenzy around it and has to be a symbol of the time it was created. Here I’ll show you 10 it bags from recent years that have definitely made history! I’ll start from the 1990’s and move forward, so I’ll finish with the latest It Bag we have seen.
So, without further ado here are The 10 Most Iconic It Bags from the Last 30 Years:
10. Lady Dior
Unlike many of the bags you’ll see on this video that were passing trends, this one became a classic. In 1995, Bernadette Chirac then first lady of France contacted Christian Dior, explaining that she wished to gift the Princess of Wales a unique handbag upon her visit to Paris. The Maison created a beautiful structured black bag, unofficially named the Chouchou. It was presented to Lady Diana at the Cézanne exhibition at the Grand Palais. Shortly after, the Princess was photographed several times with the bag on her arm. Described as “iconic” and “legendary”, Dior launched the bag in a larger series and changed the name to the “Lady Dior” in 1996 with Princess Diana’s blessing. Over the decades, the Lady Dior bag has been established as an enduring icon of the House. It’s most notably distinguished by its structured shape, geometric Cannage topstitching and ‘D.I.O.R.’ charm.
This is a bag from the 90’s that remains in style to this day! It is perhaps the most iconic bag from recent years.
9. Fendi Baguette
Launched in a time where minimalism was all people wanted in fashion the Fendi Baguette was everything but minimalistic. It was a time without social media, and yet, it was 1997 when Fendi launched the first real it-bag in history: the Baguette. Designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, she christened the bag the Baguette because this shoulder bag was made to sit comfortably under the arm in the very same way that the French are usually seen carrying their baguettes. Since its introduction, the Baguette instantly became one of the most sought-after bags in the fashion world, and more than 100,000 were sold in the first year alone.
The show Sex and The City is a big part of why this bag became so famous! On the episode when Carrie Bradshaw is mugged in an alley, her assailant demands for her to hand over her purple sequin baguette. When he asks for the bag she says: but it’s a baguette! It was this moment in TV history that the Baguette became “It”, because it really wasn’t until the Baguette’s appearance on this show, that those outside of fashion circles, became acquainted with the bag, thus solidifying its status as a cult bag. It proved that the Baguette was so much more than a bag.
Over time it has evolved into different sizes, materials and colors, each new season there is a new Fendi Baguette for us to fall in love with!
8. Dior Saddle
This is the definitive it bag of the yearly 2000’s. The Saddle Bag was first created in 1999 at the peak of John Galliano’s Dior tenure. Its initial appearance toed the line between what was considered high fashion and, for lack of a better word, ugly. Intended to be worn short-strapped and tight against the arm like a saddle, the accessory became an instant trend sported by everyone from Beyoncé to Carrie Bradshaw. In 2018 Maria Grazia Chiurri relaunched this bag and it has since become a part of the classic styles of the brand. The Dior Saddle bag takes its cues from the equestrian world. The inspiration can be seen in the graphic design with the now iconic asymmetrical flap that is reminiscent of a saddle shape.
The Saddle is a personal favorite of mine because of its distinct and modern appearance. It is one of The 10 Most Iconic It Bags from the Last 30 Years!
7. Balenciaga Motorcycle
The Motorcycle City bag is no doubt the most classic Balenciaga bag! And now this bag is becoming super popular once more! In 2001, a time when most designer bags were structured and filled with loud logos Nicolas Ghesquière, then creative director designed the biker bag. Kerings the parent company of Balenciaga was not impressed by the bag, but after Ghesquière produced a few handbags and distributed them to the models and Kate Moss was photographed several times with the bag in hand, they decided to sell to the general public. It became one of the most popular handbags of the 2000’s.
The bag has a number of names: the “Lariat,” which is how Ghesquière referred to, the “Motorcycle,” the “City,” and a recent iteration called the “Neo Classic” that debuted for Fall/Winter 2020 during current creative director Demna Gvasalia’s tenure at the house. A little over two decades and two creative directors later, the City has proved itself to be a mainstay at the house.
Although the City had its heyday in the 2000’s it never really disappeared, you could see a celebrity being photographed with one in hand from time to time.
6. Louis Vuitton Takashi Murakami Multicolor
The famous collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Takashi Murakami began in 2002 at the request of the then creative director, Marc Jacobs. Murakami, an iconic artist based in Japan, brought his imaginative and colorful aesthetics to the renowned fashion house. From this new partnership came the first creation, the Monogram Multicolor collection of bags, wallets, and other items from Spring/Summer 2003. The designs received tremendous public attention as well as commercial success. This collection of handbags ruled in the 2000’s, it was every girl’s dream. The handbags were seen on the arms of celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Naomi Campbell, and Paris Hilton.
You can still find some bags from this collection on resale platforms, and they have been really popular in recent years! It is one of the The 10 Most Iconic It Bags from the Last 30 Years!
5. Chloé Paddington
One of the most iconic It bags of the 2000’s, the Paddington, designed by then creative director Phoebe Philo, was as rare as it was coveted. Vogue reported that in 2005 every one of the 8,000 bags produced by Chloé were already spoken for before even hitting the stores. Made of leather, the Paddington had softly rounded edges, giving it what has been described as “a luggage feel.” There were buckles on either end, and its most iconic feature was a leather-wrapped padlock, the key for which was suspended from a narrow tie attached to the hardware holding one of the two top handles. The scarcity of this bag made it an insider and celebrity favorite, which only made it more desirable. This bag was a hit in the yearly 2000’s but was considered out of style by the 2010’s.
We are now seeing the Balenciaga Motorcycle City bag becoming fashionable again so I’m curious to see if the same thing happens to the Chloé Paddington.
4. Celine Luggage
One of the most popular bags of all time and the most famous Celine bag, the Luggage is an icon. Designed by the queen of minimalism herself, it was Phoebe Philo’s first It bag, released in the Spring 2010 collection. With its distinctive front face adorned with a zipper and availability in multiple colors and materials, it is not hard to see why the Celine Luggage, even after a decade of its launch, still appeals to fashion connoisseurs of all ages and tastes. This bag was extremely popular in the 2010’s and because of its minimalist style and colors, it really would be a staple in your collection. I know this bag is not so popular anymore and some might say it is out of style, but for me it really is a classic.
This bag started the trend of minimalist bags that happened in the 2010’s!
3. Givenchy Antigona
Launched in 2011, designed by Ricardo Tisci, it was instantly popular! The Antigona features a zip-closure, two top handles, a shoulder strap, two interior slip pockets, and an interior zip pocket. Several of the first iterations of the Antigona did not have removable shoulder straps; it was later when the hardware was updated that the strap could be removed.
Until this day the Antigona has a legion of fans! It is a structured bag with clean lines, it has a very sophisticated, sleek aesthetic but with a little bit of edginess.
2. Gucci Dionysus
Alessandro Michele’s first bag for Gucci represents perfectly the new geek-chic style of the brand. The crossbody bag features a double-flap shape in Gucci’s coated canvas textile, and it’s closed with U-shaped hardware that can be traced back to Gucci’s fall 2015 ready-to-wear collection. Dionysus is the god of agriculture, wine, and partying, so it is only appropriate that the bag that takes his name has this more-is-more style. The tiger closure of the bag is also inspired by mythology, Dionysus is said to have crossed the river Tigris on a tiger sent to him by Zeus. The sliding chain strap can be worn multiple ways, changing between a shoulder and a top handle bag.
This Gucci bag was super popular in the late 2010’s, and there are still so many iterations of the bag I’m sure you’ll find one you love!
1. Bottega Veneta Pouch
The most recent it bag from this list the Pouch was designed in 2019 by Daniel Lee. One of the first products Lee made when he arrived at Bottega the Pouch was a phenomenon: an It bag when It bags were no longer supposed to exist. Inspired by a Bottega Veneta bag carried by Lauren Hutton in American Gigolo, the Pouch is a squishy, oversized clutch that is crafted of butter-soft leather. With no strap and a dumpling like shape, Bottega Veneta’s merchandising team was so concerned the Pouch would not sell, that it ordered a very limited amount for stores at first. However, what the Pouch lacked in functionality, it made up for in aesthetics. This bag started an internet craze, you could not go on Instagram without seeing this bag. Today, the Pouch is available in a variety of colors and materials.
Will the Pouch continue in style? Only time will tell, but it was definitely the it bag of 2019 and 2020. It is one of The 10 Most Iconic It Bags from the Last 30 Years!
