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The bag was born as a purely male accessory, only between the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s did women begin to use it, and it was only after the Second World War that the bag began to be considered a real jewel: the its size decreases, so you can carry them by hand or over the shoulder.
To tell the story of this object is the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) from London, which houses a exhibition of bags, from the very first ever created to those that made the school of contemporary fashion. To intrigue you, in this article we want to talk about what are considered the most important bags.
Important bags history
The first bags used purely as habits begin to appear in the late 1920s.
As the Vanity case by Lacloche Frères dated around 1926, literally a small jewel in gold, diamonds, mother-of-pearl and turquoise that could only contain small objects such as cigarettes or make-up and that high-ranking women carried by hand.
Important bags history: the homage ones
To pay homage to its passengers during the maiden voyage of May 29, 1935, the transatlantic Normandie, considered the largest and fastest ship in the world, gave those in first class one cluch bag which bore the shapes of the ship itself, in shades of black and silver, with a small anchor that served as decoration. It was an exclusive bag, as it was only sold on board.
It was the 2014 when the famous American magazine The New Yorker began to pay homage his subscribers with quesa tote bag. Since 2019, these bags have been considered a symbol of cultural know-how, i.e. the complex of knowledge and experiences of a person.
Important bags history: those made iconic
Then there are bags, which have made history also for being worn by true icons of the time. As the Bagonghi bag, by Roberta di Camerino, sported by the Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco during a trip to Rome in 1959. The peculiarity of this bag is also in its wooden structure, created by the producers of Venetian gondolas.
Among the iconic bags we cannot fail to mention the first Birkin Bag absolutely of Hermès, created by Jean-Louis Sumas, CEO of the brand, per actress and singer Jane Birkin. To differentiate it from all the other bags created later, in addition to its initials “JB”, is the shoulder strap. But then Jane Birkin decided to add a personal touch with some stickers whose residues can still be seen today.
Between the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s, among the so-called most sought-after “It bags” there was also the Paddington by Chloé. With its soft design, the stitching details and the padlock as decoration, to buy this bag you had to be part of a long waiting list. The celebrities of the time loved her, one above all, the actress Lindsay Lohan.
Important history bags: those with a particular design
There Safety Pin conceived by the stylist Gianni Versace in 1994 it is decorated with various pins bearing the head of Medusa, famous brand logo. The handle itself is also a great pin. It is one of the designer bags with the most personality in the history of fashion and was presented at the fashion show for that year’s spring / summer collection.
There Bazar oversized shopper by Balenciaga is part of the first collection of Demna Gvasalia for autumn / winter 20016. Playing with his creativity, the Georgian designer has transformed an everyday object as the classic can be market bag, in a trendy and luxurious object.
Important bags history: the royal bag
There Queen Elizabeth II has always been an example of rigor and elegance. It is probably these two aspects that inspired the brand Launer for his Traviata, in 2020. It is no coincidence that this bag seems to be the Queen’s favorite. The real model, however, unlike the one on the market, is done tailored for the sovereign of England and has longer handles.
