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Best Gucci handbags to buy now and wear forever
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Horsebits! Monograms! Harry Styles! Enter the gloriously camp, overwhelmingly opulent and globally revered House of Gucci.
Few fashion houses carry the grandiose prestige of the luxury Italian label - especially when it comes to accessories. The esteemed brand is almost synonymous with its iconic arm candy. The Jackie, The Diana, and The Marmont are all distinctive designs worn extensively and eternally by fashion’s glitterati since they were first revealed to the public back in 1921.
While Gucci is a brand that needs no introduction, we’d hate to deprive you of such a storied history.
In 1897, Guccio Gucci was working at the Savoy Hotel as a porter having left his native Florence for the Big Smoke. Inspired by the extravagant travel accessories he was handling during his work hours, Gucci returned to Italy and launched his own collection of leather goods. The store was an instant hit among customers.
Soon the whole family were involved in the business, a narrative documented in Ridley Scott’s film 2021 House of Gucci. A trade embargo placed on Italy during Mussolini’s rule meant that several materials were scarce, including leather. The Gucci clan branched out, incorporating raffia, wicker and diamond-printed woven hemp textiles (the precursors to the iconic house monogram) into their designs.
The brand launched the Gucci bamboo bag circa 1947. Five years later in 1953, Gucci launched its first store in New York. Legions of celebrities flocked to the pan-Atlantic stores, Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren to name a fabulous few. Gucci handbags became the armour of the stars.
Under the reign of creative directors Tom Ford, Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele, Gucci has undergone several resurrections - the latter of which we have to thank for the reissued bamboo-handled Diana, the Gucci Attache, the Dionysus and the Marmont. Current creative director Sabato De Sarno has added his own contemporary twist to the pre-existing archive, platforming crystal-clad Jackies and pastel-toned Bamboo 1947 top handles.
Gucci bags are an investment. Yet, they are simultaneously cherished heirlooms to transcend generations. Second-hand editions remain high in value, as evidenced by those listed on Vestiaire and eBay.
Discover the best Gucci bags to invest in and add the ultimate signifier of timeless style to your wardrobe. After all, fashion is fleeting, but Gucci is forever.
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Gucci GG Marmont Shoulder Bag with crystals
We have former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele to thank for the ever-popular Marmont shoulder bag. The silhouette debuted on the autumn/winter 2016 runway and mirrored the unapologetic bohemia of Seventies style.
Accompanied by a chain and crossbody strap, the Marmont takes inspiration from the iconic Château Marmont. Further details include a flipped Gucci logo (another of Michele’s ingenious ideas), a quilted velvet design and jewel-tone colourways.
This denim rendition is a Y2K take on the silhouette featuring crystal embellishments and the house’s GG monogram.
Gucci Jackie Small Shoulder Bag
The Jackie is one of Gucci’s most recognisable silhouettes. The hobo design was introduced in 1961 and immediately tickled the fancy of Jackie Kennedy, whom the bag is named after. Tom Ford, Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele all successfully reincarnated the design, yet the latest model from Sabato De Sarno has put crystal-clad Jackies firmly on our radar.
Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag
The hugely sought-after accessories sent down the runway during Gucci's autumn/winter 2023 show were shrouded in Noughties nostalgia. The Horsebit Chain Shoulder Bag is finished with dramatic Horsebit hardware, a design detail first popularised in the 2000s under Tom Ford. The piece comprises beige canvas jacquard and green and red webbing. Use yours as a clutch or shoulder number as you take the versatile piece wherever you go.
Gucci Medium Tote Bag with Gucci Patch
Frolic in the Mediterranean sunshine with the Gucci Medium Tote Bag. Candy colours introduced by De Sarno nod to the summer spirit of the Italian coastline. They are set on the house’s iconic straw fabric and punctuated by bold house lettering. This is complemented by classic tan-toned top handles. A less extravagant but more playful take on the brand’s most famous tote The Diana, the medium tote fuses luxury craftsmanship with contemporary, youthful design.
Gucci Diana Small Shoulder Bag
Gucci’s Diana Small Shoulder Bag is a proud relic of the brand’s heritage motifs - bamboo handles, Double G hardware and butter-soft leather, for example. The silhouette is famously named after Princess Diana, who was often spotted clasping her beloved bamboo-handle Gucci bag during the Nineties.
The design is another of Michele’s celebrated creations. In 2021, the designer launched the Diana bag on what would have been the late People’s Princess’ 60th birthday. Today, there are multiple editions of the famed piece to consider, such as this gorgeous mint-toned timepiece.
Gucci Ophidia Super Mini Shoulder Bag
Gucci’s Ophidia collection revolves around retro motifs. The Double G-logo features heavily across the travel-inspired line, which spans backpacks to mini shoulder bags. The aforementioned is one of our favourites. A Noughties-approved monogram, brown and mint colourways and compact construction make for a darling shoulder bag to house the essentials such as phones, small wallets and lip gloss.
Gucci Jackie Notte Mini Bag
Gucci champions high-octane glamour - and nothing makes a sophisticated statement like yellow. Gucci’s Jackie Notte Mini Bag is a reimagining of the classic Jackie, a style beloved by the icon that is Jackie Kennedy. The silhouette hails from De Sabo’s drawing room and belongs to the joyous Gucci Lido collection which takes inspiration from summers spent in Italy. Brighten up the day with the petite piece which features a hook closure, a light gold-toned Gucci lettering chain strap and exudes an air of confidence.
Gucci GG Marmont Mini Shoulder Bag
Velvet is a fabric held dear to Gucci’s heart. The GG Marmont Mini Shoulder Bag is one of the many examples of the brand’s affinity for the plush material. Quilted in sumptuous green velvet and dotted with small Double G studs, the forest fresh take of Michele’s Marmont is an opulent choice. Choose from emerald or mustard colourways and wear yours for date night and high society soirees.
Gucci Aphrodite Medium Shoulder Bag
The most luxurious office bag we ever did see, the Aphrodite shoulder bag is a practical piece with timeless flair. Choose from three colours, white, light grey and black, and place your everyday essentials inside. The piece, which is available in medium and large sizes, hails from Gucci’s Cosmogonie collection. Supple leather construction is married with a Double G emblem, a code introduced in the 1970s. Hook over your shoulder and all eyes will fall on you.
Gucci Horsebit 1955 Shoulder Bag
Gucci is a heritage brand, and thus inherently sentimental. The house continually looks back to look forward. New collections are inspired by archival pieces, such as this Horsebit 1955 Shoulder bag which first came to public attention that very year. Note the Gucci DNA in the GG motif, the monogram and the tan-leather trim. A piece that is set to survive the fickle trend cycle, Gucci’s Horsebit 1955 Shoulder Bag is an investment to transcend generations.