Gucci's most iconic handbags

There are bags that have so deeply marked the history of high fashion that they have become true style icons. 

Imagining an accessory capable of breaking out of convention and revolutionizing women's fashion is a masterstroke that few can claim to have accomplished. The Florentine fashion house, with its most famous it bags, is one of them. Some of the most iconic Gucci bags have not only left a significant mark over time, but have also influenced the style of many stars.

Born thanks to the creativity of Guccio Gucci in 1921, the brand has grown from a small artisan store selling leather luggage and riding accessories to an Italian excellence recognized worldwide.

Its handbags have won the hearts of many celebrities, including Maria Callas, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Vanessa Redgrave, and Ingrid Bergman, seduced by its creative flair, high quality materials and timeless shapes.

This is the model that has decreed the brand's success; its unusual crescent shape and gold buckle closure have captivated the jet set of the 1960s and 1970s.

Initially known as the Fifties Constance, it was immortalized on Jacqueline Kennedy, America's first lady as well as a style icon in the 1970s; a photo that caused such a stir that it persuaded the fashion house to rename the bag The Jackie.

The first model dates to 1947, during the postwar period when sourcing raw materials to make handbags was almost impossible. Thanks to a flash of inspiration from Gucci, the idea of using bamboo canes to create the handle and clasp was born. An insight as original as it was witty, considering the strength and lightness of bamboo. 

Several Hollywood celebrities helped increase the popularity of this bag to such an extent that Gucci decided to patent the bamboo handle. Since then, this model has undergone several revisions, but has always retained its original rounded shape.

As early as 1953 Aldo Gucci sensed the value of storytelling and decided to leave traces of the house's history in their accessories. Thus, it was that the famous metal horse bit began to decorate moccasins and other leather accessories and tell the story of the deep connection that existed between the fashion house and the equestrian world. Two years later, the horsebit appeared on the first bag and went from being a decorative element to a distinctive symbol of the brand. A fil rouge that, from Guccio Gucci's beginnings, reaches to the present day with the birth of the first Gucci Horsebit 1955.

An evergreen and one of the world's best-selling handbags, the Gucci Marmont is distinguished by some unmistakable features, such as its brass double G buckle and chevron style quilted pattern in leather, denim, or velvet. The first bag with a chain strap debuted on the catwalks in 2016, under the creative direction of Alessandro Michele. A model declined shortly after in several variations, including bucket bags, backpacks, fanny packs and wallets.

This model is the perfect combination of two sides of the brand: tradition and pure avant-garde. Early versions featuring the renowned GG logo on canvas or suede have evolved today by welcoming details representative of the fashion house, such as bees, flowers, and birds. This model is named after the Greek god Dionysus, but it is not the only reference to Greek mythology in the brand's creations; another element that testifies to the creative director's passion for Hellenistic culture is the horseshoe-shaped clasp with a tiger's head that characterizes this popular bag.