What Is An It Bag? The History Of The Designer Handbag

Being able to create an accessory that goes on to be defined as an It bag is the fantasy of most designers at the major fashion houses. Not only is becoming part of the fashion conversation in such a way great publicity for the brand more generally, but the bag itself can become a key moneymaker for, quite literally, decades.

Although some of the most well-known It bags were first designed back in the 1950s—like Chanel's iconic 2.55 bag, which dates back to February 1955—the concept actually only started to be talked about in the '90s, when fashion brands were being bought up, huge luxury conglomerates were formed, and these now creative directors were suddenly tasked with making much, much more money. For many fashion houses, handbags became the answer to great profits. Not only are accessories the great unifier—in that bags, shoes, and jewelry are less limiting, compared with the sizing of most ready-to-wear collections—but the markup on designer handbags is huge. Creating one that becomes an absolute must-have item has brands laughing all the way to the bank.

But when does a well-selling handbag become an It bag? Today, what do we actually mean when we refer to this? Has it become just another dramatically overused term? Is it enough to have captured our attention for just a few seasons? Is it enough to be an era-defining cult accessory, or does it really need to have transcended trends for decades? How do we know when a bag hits that status?

Ceanne Fernandes-Wong, CEO and cofounder of luxury handbag rental and resale platform Cocoon , agrees. "They are novel in design," she says. "They either have a unique shape or silhouette or a statement-making material or print."

Indeed, some of the most indisputable It bags have only reached the level of popularity needed because they have become synonymous with—and are even renamed after—the likes of Princess Diana, Jane Birkin, Grace Kelly, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

"Culture defines and dictates the It bag of the moment," says the RealReal 's Rachel Glicksberg. "We saw this in the '90s with Sarah Jessica Parker and the Fendi Baguette . Now, influential names like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Hailey Bieber often play a large role in what makes a blockbuster It bag."