Cwardrobes, seasons, even the way of dressing change, but some bags never pass. Recognizable at a glance, over the last thirty years the phenomenon has intensified: thanks to the globalization of fashion, the explosion of social media and a growing attention to conscious investment, It-bags have become much more than simple accessories. True cultural symbols, capable of marking an era and, at the same time, of return cyclically in new forms.
From 1996 to 2026: what they were the 30 most iconic bags of the last 30 years and because they are still on everyone’s lips (and in their wardrobes) today.
1996–2006: the logo, the icon, the beginning of the cult
It’s the decade when the very concept of It-bag was born. The bags become objects of desire global, immediately recognisable, often linked to celebrities and pop moments. There Fendi Baguette, launched in 1997, leads the way: compact, carried under the arm, destined to become a symbol thanks also to Sex and the City. They follow the Dior Saddle (1999), with its asymmetrical shape, and the Balenciaga City (2001), soft and lived-in, which marks a change of register. There is no shortage of more structured models like the Chloe Paddington, recognizable by the large padlock, or the Mulberry Bayswater. Bags created to intercept the trends of the era which today return to shop shelves through re-editions and new interpretations, confirming their timeless nature.
Fendi’s Baguette returns to the brand’s FW 26/27 catwalk.
2006–2016: between understatement and new codes
After the logo overdose, luxury changes tone. Between 2006 and 2016 the bags became more sophisticated, less loud, but no less recognisable. It’s time for Céline Luggage, from the Givenchy Antigona and of Saint Laurent Sac de Jour: clean lines, strong structure, timeless elegance. At the same time, softer and more everyday models emerge such as Neverfull by Louis Vuitton or the Puzzle Of Loewe, both have become two workhorses of their respective Maisons. In recent years the protagonist bags are capable of fitting into everyday life without losing character, often defined by a signature detail rather than explicit branding.
The Sac de Jour bag by Saint Laurent.
2016–2026: Viral, Recognizable, Exclusive
With the advent of social media, the bag has become branding, as well as an accessory. They are born like this models designed to be photographedshared, recognized online. There Jacquemus Le Chiquito is the most emblematic case: tiny, ironic, immediately viral. Next to her, the Bottega Veneta Pouch and the Bottega Veneta Cassette they redefine contemporary luxury through volumes and bright colors such as Verde Bottega. There is no shortage of great returns, such as the Prada Re-Edition 2000which relaunches the archive in a current way, but also great exploits, such as the Dior Book Totewhich in just a few years became a piece of fashion history.
The Margaux bag from The Row.
The most emblematic social case of the last decade is the Telfar Shopping Bag, renamed “Bushwick Birkin”: accessible, inclusive, becoming iconic not for the price but for the distribution model made up of drops, sold out, waiting, which transformed the purchase into a collective event. And then there are the new iconslike the Margaux from The Rowwhich has already entered an almost mythological dimension despite its essential lines and no logo in sight.
Thirty years, thirty bags: some have remained unchanged, others have transformed. All, however, iconic today.
