We’ve seen the rise of the vintage It-bag in recent years, from the Gucci Jackie and Dior Saddle to the Louis Vuitton Speedy and the Fendi Baguette. It’s a trend that’s been helped along by influential A-listers such as Rihanna and Bella Hadid, who are regularly seen carrying rare collectors’ items, as well as the reissuing of past styles on the catwalk (the Balenciaga Le City and Chloé Paddington being just two recent examples).
But while there are certain bags that we can’t get enough of, there are also many in the archives that have remained under the radar – meaning they can often be found at a more affordable price. Plus, there’s the badge of honour that comes with championing a vintage bag that none of your friends own (yet).
Below, we asked the experts to share the vintage bags that we’ve all been sleeping on.
Gucci Indy
Worn by the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton during the Noughties, the Gucci Indy taps into the nostalgic mood that continues to permeate fashion. “We’ve really come full circle with the return of boho fashion,” Break Archive’s Gabriel Rylka tells Vogue. “The Gucci Indy feels like it belongs in that era, with its slouchy shape and bamboo detailing. Generally, a lot of Gucci bags are overlooked – people only tend to turn to the brand for classics like the Jackie or the Horsebit bag, but the house has also produced some gems like this.”
Céline Boogie
Designed by Michael Kors during his oft-forgotten stint at Céline, the Boogie is enjoying a resurgence – in part thanks to vintage obsessive and former Vogue editor Liana Satenstein, who recently held a sale dedicated to the style in New York. “It’s a ladylike bag because it can only be worn on the hand or the crook of the arm, not the shoulder,” the creator of Neverworns says. “It’s also deceptively large; you really can stuff that thing. I wear mine constantly… Celine would be smart to reissue a supersized version to fit a MacBook.”
YSL Mombasa
Satenstein was also an early adopter of another much slept-upon vintage bag: the YSL Mombasa. “It’s delicious with quality leather, dangerous with a hefty horn handle, and comes in a classic shape,” she wrote for Vogue back in 2022. While the 2000s bag, whose fans included the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Richie, may have ticked up in popularity since then, it still remains something of an IYKYK investment. “Today, the Mombasa feels decadent and radical again – a true product of Ford’s high-glamour, erotically charged YSL years,” says Nordic Poetry’s Ameli Lindgren. “The kind of piece that turns heads without saying a word.”
Fendi Spy
Both Rihanna and Bella Hadid have been spotted carrying the Fendi Spy in recent years – yet it’s still not gained the same traction as other It-bags from the Noughties. “The Fendi Spy is another under-the-radar piece that is slowly making a comeback,” Rylka says. “A fun fact that not many know is that it has several secret compartments – one being in the clasp of the bag, made to hold a lipstick.”
Chanel vanity bag
While Margot Robbie’s Barbie may have owned a pink Chanel vanity case from 1995, in real life, the accessory is yet to have realised its full potential. “Today, they feel like a perfect balance of structure, nostalgia, and utility – with a growing cult following among vintage collectors and stylists,” says Lindgren, who currently has a spring/summer 1995 case in her store. “Claudia Schiffer carrying it in the ’95 campaign sealed its fate as an archive gem.”
