11 Popular Designer Bags That Will Never Go Out of Style
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Every season comes with its fair share of fashion trends. If they didn’t, Fashion Week would cease to exist. As much as we love to witness and experiment with all the latest up-and-coming garment and accessories trends, there’s a reason why some items are considered to be timeless classics—they simply never go out of style. With that in mind, today we’re here to chat about the most popular designer bags of all time.
“Iconic bags like the Hermès Birkin, Chanel Flap Bags, and Louis Vuitton Speedy have transcended time, embodying elegance and status,” says Meg Cass, director of buying at Chairish. “From Grace Kelly to Jackie Kennedy, these bags have been associated with legendary women, making them coveted investments for fashion enthusiasts.”
Notice that last part? The most popular designer bags of all time come with a cost, but any handbag expert will tell you that they are worthy assets. “Beloved for their timeless design, exquisite craftsmanship, and status-symbol appeal, these bags tend to be lasting investments,” Cass explains.
Speaking of status, the most popular designer bags of all time are so elite, that many of them sell out the moment new iterations drop, which is why it’s helpful to know not only what the most iconic bags are but where to snag them, too. “When shopping for one of these bags, whether new or vintage, make sure you purchase from an authorized retailer or reputable platform, such as Chairish,” Cass says. “We carry a fantastic selection of vintage accessories where buyers can shop with confidence.”
Before you buy the first designer bag you stumble across, though, keep reading to uncover the 11 most popular designer bags, according to Cass and 1stDibs’ Editorial Director and Director of Fine Art Anthony Barzilay-Freund.
Hermès Birkin
The Hermès Birkin is at the top of the list—it’s not merely one of the most popular designer bags, it’s the most coveted of them all. “The lore of how the bag was designed more than 40 years ago—during a mid-flight conversation between Jane Birkin and Jean Louis Dumas, Hermès’s then-artistic director—adds to its mystique and prestige, and it boasts a design that is simultaneously chic, versatile, and highly utilitarian,” says Barzilay-Freund.
The caveat? The waitlist for one of these bags (brand new) is a mile long. It's rarity is part of what makes the Birkin so admirable. “The Birkin has long been a covetable handbag, spiking in popularity with the rise of social media as more collectors share their experiences of securing one,” Barzilay-Freund explains.
That’s why both of the experts we spoke to suggest shopping secondhand. “Vintage is definitely the way to go here,” Cass assures us and Barzilay-Freund agrees. “There is a robust secondary market for Birkin bags, with staple neutrals like Black, Gold, and Etoupe being the most sought-after,” he adds. “Special edition and exotic versions are also sought out by serious collectors.”
Chanel Classic Flap
The Chanel Classic Flap bag has been a shoulder staple for decades. “Chanel’s Classic Flap, designed by Karl Lagerfeld in the 1980s as a variation of an earlier bag design by Coco Chanel, is the handbag that epitomizes the Parisian chic aesthetic,” Barzilay-Freund says. “Able to be worn on the shoulder, across the body, or carried in the hand, it is highly versatile and minimal in profile, although its signature quilted leather exterior makes its luxury status very clear.”
While you can easily buy a Chanel Classic Flap bag directly from the brand, Barzilay-Freund points out the allure of shopping consignment. “Collectors prize vintage Chanel bags [like the Chanel Black Quilted Lambskin Vintage Small Classic Double Flap Bag] on the secondary market for their superior materials (Chanel stopped using 24k gold hardware in 2008) and craftsmanship, which is widely thought to have diminished in recent years,” he reveals.
Louis Vuitton Speedy
The Louis Vuitton Speedy has become one of the “it” bags of 2024, thanks to its bold reimagination by Menswear Creative Director Pharrell Williams. The popularity of the bag began well before Rihanna and LeBron James led a campaign for it, though.
“The Louis Vuitton Speedy was originally created in 1930,” Cass shares. “Today, it is available in four sizes with the smallest size, 25, being a personal request from Audrey Hepburn.”
After rising to fame in the 1960s, the Louis Vuitton Speedy earned cult-favorite acclaim in the early 2000s. “The brightly colored and cherry-printed versions designed by Takashi Murakami and graffitied bags from the brand’s collaboration with Stephen Sprouse were particularly popular with the celebrity ‘it girls’ of that era, among them Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson,” Barzilay-Freund says.
(FYI: If you like the look of the Speedy but require a bit more space, Cass suggests the Louis Vuitton Keepall. “The Speedy’s big sister, the Louis Vuitton Keepall is a larger size duffel, and is one of the most popular bags on Chairish. Three-day weekend, anyone?” she muses.)
Gucci Horsebit Clutch
The Gucci Horsebit Clutch was one of the first baguette silhouettes to hit the market, before even the famous Fendi Baguette was born (more on that one in a bit). “The Gucci Horsebit Clutch was introduced in the 1970s at the height of Gucci’s popularity—but was revived in 2003 by Tom Ford, who enjoyed a spectacular tenure as Gucci’s creative director from 1994-2004—and was valued for its sex appeal and glamour,” Barzilay-Freund shares. “Under Ford, the Horsebit Clutch was reborn in flashy new colorways and exotic skins and became a staple in the aesthetic of the early 2000s.”
Fendi Baguette Bag
The Fendi Baguette Bag debuted in the 1990s and rose to fame on the shoulder of everyone’s favorite TV sex columnist, Carrie Bradshaw. “The Fendi Baguette Bag launched in the late '90s and has been reiterated in endless ways ever since,” Cass says. “This bag is an icon in and of itself but took off with Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City implying that, ‘It’s not a bag, it’s a baguette.’”
As for the inspiration behind the bag, Barzilay-Freund has the answer. “The bag’s design playfully emulates the shape of a baguette, which French women would often carry under their arm,” he explains. “This style is known for its traditional logo versions as well as an array of highly embellished, colorful, and experimental versions that collectors are known to hunt on the secondary vintage market.”
Shop: Fendi Fuchsia Sequinned Baguette Bag
Lady Dior Bag
The Lady Dior Bag has long been connected to Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, cementing itself as a timelessly elegant accessory. “The Lady Dior Bag wasn't created for Princess Diana, but after being photographed carrying it, this bag has been synonymous with the royal beauty and remains iconic today,” Cass says.
As for its history, the bag was invented just three years before Princess Diana died, in 1994. “Initially called the ‘Chouchou,’ the Lady Dior Bag was designed in 1994 by Gianfranco Ferré, who was the creative director of Dior at the time; it became a favorite handbag of Diana, Princess of Wales, and it was later renamed the Lady Dior in her honor,” Barzilay-Freund reveals. “A very prim and proper design, the Lady Dior is essentially a mini tote bag but the large handles make it comfortable to hold and its quilted exterior adds a touch of elegance to the wearer’s ensemble. The style also comes in larger sizes for more daily use."
Gucci Diana Bag
Lady Di inspired more than one bag name change. Originally referred to as the Gucci Bamboo Handle Tote, the Gucci Diana Bag was renamed to honor the Princess of Wales, as the small bag was another of her most beloved accessories.
Fun fact: The creation of the bamboo-handled Diana Bag was out of necessary means, not necessarily style. “Although ridiculously chic, Gucci actually started using bamboo in 1947 as a response to a leather shortage from the war,” Cass reveals. “We love creative use of materials here at Chairish!”
Louis Vuitton Neverfull
Over the past few years, we’ve watched as mini and micro bags have dominated the market but now we’re witnessing a return to larger tote-inspired bags. One of the most iconic of the bunch is the Louis Vuitton Neverfull, which was a staple in the late '00s and early 2010s.
“The Neverfull is a workhorse tote bag with a wide opening and spacious interior perfect for carrying one’s daily essentials with room to spare, hence it being ‘never full,’” Barzilay-Freund says. “This style debuted in 2007 as a seasonal beach bag but quickly became a staple in the brand’s lineup, competing with Goyard’s longer-established Saint-Louis tote.”
The durability of this designer bag is what contributes to its appeal. In addition to a stylish design, the Neverfull is incredibly functional, without wearers not having to fear it getting ruined with use."
Louis Vuitton’s signature coated canvas is more stain and scratch-resistant than a leather exterior, adding to its utilitarian value,” Barzilay-Freund says. “The Neverfull pays homage to the brand’s origins as makers of luxury trunks, which were also designed for heavy use, and is likewise typically made in Vuitton’s traditional ‘LV’ monogram or ‘Daumier’ checkerboard pattern, making it instantly recognizable as a Vuitton creation.”
Shop: Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM
Shop: Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM
Gucci Jackie Bag
Another designer bag inspired by an iconic woman? The Gucci Jackie Bag. “In the '60s, Jackie Kennedy Onassis was seen so often sporting the Gucci Constance Bag that Gucci renamed it in her honor, and has been known forever since as the Gucci Jackie Bag,” Cass says.
The Gucci Jackie Bag is renowned for its simple, sleek style that pairs well with anything and everything. “The Jackie is a distinct design introduced by Gucci in 1961 that has the profile of a traditional, ‘ladylike’ handbag infused with an effortless sense of cool,” Barzilay-Freund says.
Chanel Boy Bag
The Chanel Boy Bag looks much like the Classic Flap, but it has key characteristics that make it stand out.
“The Boy Bag was designed by Karl Lagerfeld in 2011 as an edgier alternative to the more refined Chanel [Classic Flap] handbag,” Barzilay-Freund reveals. “This model’s chunkier hardware and contrast edge stitching are very popular among wearers looking for a stylistic departure from the Classic Flap that is still unmistakably Chanel, and this style has seen many adventurous colors, treatments, and limited editions that are highly collectible.”
Hermès Kelly
The Birkin isn’t the only iconic handbag from Hermès—the Kelly is also one of the most sought after purses of all time. “No ‘it bag’ list would be complete without the Hermès Kelly Bag,” Cass says. “Originally created in 1928 under a different name [Petit Sac à Courroies], this carryall became famous in the '50s when Grace Kelly was photographed carrying it. Hermes officially changed the name in the '70s to honor the actress' legacy.”
Overall, Barzilay-Freund says that Kelly bags are most popular in neutral colors, however, he points out that experienced collectors often scour for “exotic-skinned and limited-edition versions.”
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