Lady Diana (†)
These were her 3 most iconic handbags
© Dana Press
Lady Diana was not only known as the Queen of Hearts, but also as a style icon. Her looks had a great influence on the fashion world and the princess, who died far too young, still serves as a (fashion) inspiration today. Her style is reflected in the signature of countless designers – especially in handbags.
by Alenka Jepsen
There are handbags that we still associate with Lady Diana, †36, not least because they were even named after her. Classic models that are so timeless we can still wear them. We present three of these iconic handbags to you.
Lady Diana becomes Lady Dior
Diana’s first bag of this type, a sleek black model, was given to her in September 1995 as a gift from the then Lady of France, Bernadette Chirac. After Diana regularly integrated the Dior bag “Chouchou” – French for “the darling” – into her appearance looks and appeared in public with different colors, it was renamed “Lady Dior” in 1996. A pun in honor of Diana, who was obviously a fan of the designer’s creation and helped it achieve iconic status.
Princess Diana wearing a Versace orange suit and carrying her beloved Dior bag in Liverpool, November 1995
© Tim Graham Photo Library / Getty Images
Bamboo tote bag, Gucci
Another bag that made Lady Di popular was Gucci’s “Bamboo Tote Bag”. With its eye-catching bamboo handles and spacious size, Diana found it to be an ideal bag for everyday use and combined it in many different ways. Sometimes with casual mom jeans or a sweater and cycling shorts, sometimes very elegant with a shift dress and pearl necklaces. Many of her outfit creations, which included the Gucci Bamboo, are now taken as examples of how the princess was style-wise ahead of her time.
In 2021, the Gucci bag was reinterpreted by Creative Director Alessandro Michele and the label re-launched it as the “Diana Bag”. Further proof of how enduringly Lady Di shaped the fashion world. The bag remains true to the original both in its shape and with the typical handles made of bamboo and is available in different colors and three sizes. A novelty – or rather a revival – are the detachable leather straps on the handles of the bag. These come in contrasting colors and are intended to evoke the straps that once came with the original case to maintain the shape of the handle.
The current Gucci Diana Bag in blue, for around 2,500 euros
©PR
D bag, Tod’s
A longtime favorite of royals is leather goods designer Tod’s. The Italian label was founded in the 1920s and quickly became a favorite of royals for timelessly classic pieces. In May 1997, Diana showed up with a tan leather bag from Tod’s in a sporty combination of white jeans, loafers, a striped sweater and a tennis racquet. The practical princess, who had a fondness for large bags and shoppers, had obviously taken a liking to the roomy D-Bag and from then on wore it to a wide variety of occasions.
Relaunched this year for Fall/Winter by Tod’s Creative Director Walter Chiapponi, the bag retains both its rectangular shape and signature leather design. Thanks to its simplicity, the reinterpreted version of the D-Bag also offers a wide range of possible combinations – in the style of Lady Di!
This article originally appeared on BRIGITTE.de.