Handbags In History

Clutch, satchel, purse, pocketbook, tote, whatever you call it, the handbag is a cornerstone fashion accessory for a reason.

Let’s find out where it came from and where it’s at today.

Handbag Histories

The earliest handbag dates back more than 5,000 years and was found with Otzi the Iceman. These ancient bags carried weapons, tools, and food and were made from leather

Functional and ornamental bags have been found dating back to ancient civilizations like Egypt, Anglo-Saxon Britain, and Byzantium. These ancient pouches evolved into coin purses for men in early modern Europe and then into men’s and women’s bags with various functions for day, evening, travel, and utility.

As men’s pants changed from breeches to pocketed trousers and feminine fashion silhouettes became more slender, handbags evolved into small ornamental purses for women.

Restrictions during World War II led to simpler designs and materials.

In the 1970s, men’s handbags were reborn as backpacks and messenger bags plus the infamous fanny pack.

But women still claim the handbag — and lack pockets — for the most part.

Handbags As A Status Symbol

The fashion world’s long standing relationship with the handbag has expressed itself in many ways, but it has been a status symbol since medieval times.

Aristocrats and royalty could afford beautiful ornamental handbags. What better way to display exotic textiles and designs?

Renaissance-era purses were more elaborate still and tiny bags became a status symbol of the time.

20 Century couture fashion houses like Hermes and Louis Vuitton added to the handbag mystique.

And today, who hasn’t seen the iconic Coach bag, branded with a logo pattern? So iconic that fake Coach purses are an industry all their own.

The design continues to change, but the symbol remains the same.