Culture

Every It Bag of the Last 25 Years: The Complete Timeline

The "It Bag" is a concept that barely existed before the late 1990s. Before that, women bought a good bag and carried it for years. The idea that a single handbag could become a cultural obsession, a waitlist item, a status symbol, and a resale commodity all at once was new. And once it started, it never stopped.

Over the past 25 years, dozens of bags have had their moment. Some became permanent fixtures in the luxury canon. Others burned bright and crashed on resale within a few seasons. The difference between the two tells you almost everything you need to know about what makes a bag hold value.

Here is every major It Bag, in chronological order, with the honest truth about where each one stands today.

The late 1990s and early 2000s: where it all started

Fendi Baguette (1997)

The bag that started it all. Designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the Baguette was small, meant to be tucked under the arm like a French bread loaf. Then Carrie Bradshaw carried it on Sex and the City, delivered the line "It's not a bag, it's a Baguette," and the It Bag was born. Original retail was around $700 to $1,500 depending on the version.

Where it stands today: The Baguette has been revived multiple times, most recently for the And Just Like That reboot. Current retail is $3,400 to $4,200. Vintage original Baguettes in exotic skins and limited editions are genuine collector's items worth $2,000 to $8,000 or more. Standard modern versions retain 40 to 65 percent on resale. The Baguette is a survivor.

Dior Saddle (1999)

John Galliano's asymmetric, equestrian-inspired Saddle became the Y2K It Bag. Every celebrity carried one. It was bold, logo-heavy, and unmistakable. Original retail around $1,000 to $1,500.

Where it stands today: Brought back in 2018 under Maria Grazia Chiuri. Current retail $3,400 to $4,200. The revival spiked vintage values briefly, but both modern and vintage resale have settled. Modern versions sit at 50 to 65 percent of retail. Original Galliano-era Saddles in rare materials hold collector value. Standard versions from either era are not strong performers.

Louis Vuitton Graffiti Speedy (2001)

Marc Jacobs collaborated with artist Stephen Sprouse to splash graffiti across the classic LV monogram. It was shocking, irreverent, and sold out instantly. This was arguably the first major luxury brand collaboration, the template for every Supreme x Louis Vuitton and Dior x Kaws that came after.

Where it stands today: The Graffiti Speedy is a legitimate collector's piece. Clean examples trade at $2,000 to $4,000, well above the original retail of approximately $1,100. It proved that limited edition collaborations could create lasting value. Not every collab since has replicated this, but the Sprouse x LV set the standard.

Balenciaga City / Motorcycle (2001)

Nicolas Ghesquière designed the Balenciaga City (often called the Motorcycle bag) and it became the uniform of every cool girl, model, and indie fashion editor for the better part of a decade. The distressed goatskin leather with giant studs and a motorcycle-inspired silhouette was the antithesis of polished French luxury. Original retail was around $1,200 to $1,500.

Where it stands today: The City is no longer in production in its original form. Resale has cooled significantly, with most examples trading at $400 to $800 depending on condition and color. Rare colors and the original "Flat Brass" hardware versions (2001 to 2007) hold better, sometimes reaching $1,200 to $1,500. The City had a great run, but it has depreciated. Ghesquière-era fans still love it, but the broader market has moved on.

The mid 2000s: peak It Bag mania

Chloé Paddington (2005)

The oversized padlock. The pebbled leather. The weight. The Paddington was the It Bag of 2005, with waitlists and celebrity sightings driving demand. Retail was approximately $1,500 to $2,000.

Where it stands today: The Paddington has depreciated significantly. Most resell for $300 to $600. The bag was heavy, impractical, and very much of its moment. It is a cautionary tale about trend-driven design. When the silhouette fell out of favor, so did the value.

YSL Muse (2005)

Tom Ford's oversized dome tote for Yves Saint Laurent. Beloved by editors and celebrities. Retail around $1,500 to $2,200.

Where it stands today: Resale sits at $300 to $700 for most examples. Like the Paddington, the oversized silhouette has fallen out of fashion. The Muse was a fantastic bag in its era but the market has moved toward smaller, more structured shapes.

Fendi Spy (2005)

Woven leather with a secret compartment behind a coin-purse clasp at the top. The Spy was dramatic and distinctive. Retail around $2,500.

Where it stands today: Resale has dropped to $400 to $800. The Spy was a product of the oversized, maximalist mid-2000s and has not aged well on the secondary market. Another trend casualty.

The late 2000s and early 2010s: the shift toward minimal

Proenza Schouler PS1 (2008)

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez designed the PS1 as a cool, understated alternative to the logo-heavy bags of the mid-2000s. It was the CFDA darling. Retail around $1,500 to $2,000.

Where it stands today: Resale has cooled to $300 to $600. The PS1 was beloved by fashion insiders but never reached mass cultural penetration, which limits its resale pool.

Celine Luggage Tote (2010)

Phoebe Philo's debut bag at Celine. The "face" shape with the front zipper became the uniform of the minimalist fashion set. It was the first bag that signaled the shift away from logos and toward quiet luxury. Original retail around $2,800 to $3,400.

Where it stands today: No longer in production. Nano and Micro sizes resell at $1,200 to $2,500. Larger sizes have dropped to $800 to $1,500. The Luggage Tote still has strong cultural cachet among Philo devotees, and the scarcity of discontinued stock supports pricing. It is one of the few It Bags from this era that has maintained meaningful value.

Givenchy Antigona (2011)

Riccardo Tisci's structured workhorse for Givenchy. Clean, geometric, professional. Retail $2,200 to $2,800. One of the most popular work bags of the 2010s.

Where it stands today: Resale has settled at 30 to 45 percent of retail. The Antigona was produced in very high volumes, and Givenchy's post-Tisci creative transitions (Clare Waight Keller, then Matthew Williams, then Sarah Burton) have fragmented the brand's identity. A solid bag, but the resale reflects oversupply and brand confusion.

Celine Classic Box (2011)

Also Phoebe Philo. A structured crossbody in box calfskin with a clean clasp. It became the quiet luxury bag before quiet luxury was a phrase. Retail around $3,500 to $4,200.

Where it stands today: Philo-era Classic Box bags retain 55 to 75 percent of retail, some of the strongest resale numbers for any bag from this era. The camel and black colorways are perennial favorites. This is one of the great success stories in modern bag resale.

Valentino Rockstud (2010)

Pyramid studs on everything. The Rockstud line covered clutches, totes, crossbodies, shoes, and accessories. It was Valentino's biggest commercial hit in bags. Retail $2,200 to $3,400.

Where it stands today: Resale has dropped to 35 to 50 percent. The market is saturated with secondhand Rockstuds, and the studded aesthetic feels dated to many buyers. However, the Rockstud pump (shoes) has held better than the bags, which tells you something about where the brand's equity really lives.

The mid 2010s: creative director era

Saint Laurent Sac de Jour (2013)

Hedi Slimane's structured tote became the professional cool-girl bag. Clean lines, accordion sides, the Saint Laurent stamp. Retail $2,800 to $3,800.

Where it stands today: Resale 40 to 55 percent. The Nano size holds best. The Sac de Jour has endured better than most bags from this era because the design is truly timeless. It does not feel dated.

Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag (2013)

The DTC disruptor. Two women designed a minimalist bucket bag, sold it direct-to-consumer at a fraction of luxury prices (around $500 to $700), and created waitlists that rivaled Hermès. It was a cultural moment about what a "luxury" bag actually needs to be.

Where it stands today: Resale has dropped to $150 to $300. The Bucket Bag was more about the moment and the value proposition than about enduring design. Once the waitlists disappeared and production caught up, the specialness faded. A lesson in how scarcity drives value more than design alone.

Gucci Dionysus (2015)

Alessandro Michele's first major bag. The tiger-head clasp, the GG Supreme canvas, the embroidered versions. It was the bag of the Michele revolution. Retail $2,200 to $3,800.

Where it stands today: Standard versions resell at 35 to 55 percent. Embroidered and limited editions hold better at 50 to 65 percent. The Dionysus peaked with Michele's cultural influence and has softened as the brand moved on.

Chloé Drew (2014)

The round lock closure was instantly recognizable. The Drew had a brief but intense hype cycle. Retail around $1,800 to $2,200.

Where it stands today: Resale $400 to $700. The Drew was very much of its moment. When the creative direction at Chloé shifted, the Drew lost its relevance and its resale followed.

The late 2010s: revival and renaissance

Gucci GG Marmont (2016)

The quilted GG became Gucci's most commercially successful bag ever. Massive production, massive visibility, massive cultural moment. Retail $2,400 to $3,200.

Where it stands today: Resale 35 to 50 percent. The Marmont's challenge is oversupply. It was produced in such high quantities that the secondhand market is flooded. A great bag to buy used. Not a great one to buy new for resale.

Dior Book Tote (2018)

Maria Grazia Chiuri's embroidered tote became the most photographed bag on Instagram. Retail $3,000 to $3,500 and up for special editions.

Where it stands today: Resale 55 to 70 percent. Limited edition prints hold better than standard Oblique. The canvas material and open-top design impact condition and therefore resale price over time.

Prada Re-Edition (2019)

Prada brought back its iconic nylon bags from the 2000s and the internet lost its mind. The Re-Edition 2005 and Re-Edition 2000 became must-haves. Retail $1,450 to $2,200. Nylon was cool again.

Where it stands today: Resale 50 to 65 percent. The Re-Edition proved that nostalgia sells and that nylon, a material most people would not associate with "luxury," can command serious prices when the brand is right.

Bottega Veneta Pouch (2019)

Daniel Lee's debut drop at Bottega. An oversized, soft leather clutch with no hardware, no logo, no strap. Just butter-soft intrecciato leather gathered into a cloud-like shape. It was the most talked-about bag launch in years. Retail $3,200.

Where it stands today: Resale has cooled to 40 to 55 percent. The Pouch is impractical as a daily bag (no closure, no strap), and that limits its resale market. It was more of a statement piece and a cultural moment than a bag people carry every day. Beautiful, important, but not a strong resale performer.

The 2020s: quiet luxury, new names, and the taste shift

Bottega Veneta Jodie (2020)

The knotted hobo in oversized intrecciato. Named after Jodie Foster. It became Bottega's most enduring bag from the Daniel Lee era. Retail $3,800 to $4,200. Resale 50 to 65 percent. The Jodie has legs because it is actually a great everyday bag, not just a statement piece.

Jacquemus Le Chiquito (2019-2020)

The micro bag that broke the internet. Barely big enough to hold a lipstick. It was a joke and a genuine fashion moment simultaneously. Retail $500 to $700. The Le Chiquito was never about practicality. It was about virality. Resale has cooled to $200 to $400. A fun novelty item, not an investment.

Loewe Puzzle (peaked 2021-2022)

Jonathan Anderson's Puzzle had existed since 2015, but it reached peak cultural relevance during the quiet luxury wave of 2021 to 2022. Retail $3,400 to $3,900. Resale 55 to 70 percent. The Puzzle is one of the few bags on this entire timeline that has both It Bag cultural resonance and strong, durable resale performance. That is a rare combination.

Miu Miu Wander (2022)

Miu Miu's matelassé hobo rode the wave of the brand's broader cultural explosion. Retail $2,300 to $2,700. Resale 50 to 65 percent. Still in its growth phase. Whether the Wander has lasting power or is riding the Miu Miu hype cycle will become clear over the next year or two.

The Row Margaux (2022-2023)

The Olsen twins' tote became the defining bag of the quiet luxury movement. No logo, no hardware, just impeccable leather and a perfect silhouette. Retail $3,900 to $5,200. Resale 70 to 90 percent. The Margaux is not an It Bag in the traditional, hype-driven sense. It is an It Bag for people who do not believe in It Bags. And that is exactly why it holds value.

Alaïa Le Coeur (2023)

Pieter Mulier's heart-shaped bag was an instant hit. Playful but sophisticated, sculptural but wearable. Retail $2,200 to $2,800. Resale 55 to 70 percent. Early data is promising but it is still young. If Alaïa maintains its creative momentum and production discipline, the Le Coeur could become a lasting classic.

Ferragamo Hug (2023)

Maximilian Davis's sculptural bag for the rebranded Ferragamo. It signals the house's ambition under new creative leadership. Still too new for meaningful resale data, but it represents Ferragamo's bid to re-enter the It Bag conversation after years on the sidelines.

Saint Laurent Le 5 à 7 (2021-2023)

Anthony Vaccarello's slouchy hobo became the cool-girl bag of the early 2020s. Retail $2,150 to $2,600. Resale 50 to 60 percent. The Le 5 à 7 is still in its prime. Whether it joins the pantheon of lasting YSL designs or fades like the Muse and the Niki remains to be seen.

The pattern: what separates a classic from a crash

After 25 years and dozens of It Bags, the pattern is unmistakable. Three things separate the bags that hold value from the ones that do not.

Scarcity. Every bag on this list that maintained strong resale had limited supply, whether through controlled production (Hermès, The Row, Bottega), discontinuation (Celine Luggage, LV Graffiti Speedy), or genuine rarity (vintage Fendi Baguettes). When a bag is readily available new, there is no reason to pay a premium used. Supply discipline is the single most important factor in long-term value.

Design simplicity. The bags that aged best have clean, timeless silhouettes. The Classic Box. The Margaux. The Jackie. The bags that aged worst were the most visually complex: the Spy, the Paddington, the heavily embroidered Dionysus in standard colorways. Trend-specific silhouettes spike and crash. Simple silhouettes hold.

Brand pricing discipline. If a brand discounts, the resale market punishes it. Every house on the "holds value" list either never discounts (Hermès, The Row, Chanel) or rarely does. Every house on the "depreciates" list has outlets, flash sales, or end-of-season markdowns that train buyers to wait for a deal. When full price is optional, full-price resale is impossible.

The It Bag is not dead. But the definition has changed. The It Bags of the 2020s are quieter, smarter, and built on craft rather than hype. And the women buying them are paying attention to the data, not just the magazine covers.

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*Retail prices and resale retention ranges are approximate, based on aggregated secondary market data from major platforms as of early 2026. Actual values vary by condition, color, hardware, size, and market conditions. Luxury goods are illiquid assets and should not be considered a substitute for diversified financial investments. Past performance does not guarantee future results.