Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Best Bags for Dior

A look back at nine years of MGC at Dior's helm.

Maria Grazia Chiuir s Best Bags for Dior

Maria Grazia Chiuri sat at the helm of Dior Women for nine beautiful years. Her vision was distinct and boundary-breaking. While Chiuri was committed to revisiting the brand’s archives and core House codes, often paying homage to Monsieur Dior, at the same time, her collections were often centered around feminism and female empowerment.

Her appointment was historic in itself, marking the first time a woman had held the helm of Dior since the brand was founded in 1947. Under her creative direction of Dior’s women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections, the House of Dior saw incredible growth, with sales more than tripling from 2017 to 2023.

Part of that success came from the brand’s accessories and leather goods, specifically its bags. During Chiuri’s nine-year reign, a new cohort of brand classics emerged. Today, we’re paying homage to Chiuri’s incredible time at the House of Dior with a look back at her best bags from the brand.

Dior Saddle Bag

Time stopped for fashion lovers when Maria Grazia Chiuri sent a bevy of Saddle Bags down the runway at Dior’s Fall 2018 show. The Dior Saddle Bag was back. That summer, one of the most iconic bags from the early aughts was officially back in stores, and few could have predicted the massive staying power that the revival would have.

While it was originally created by John Galliano and discontinued in 2007, Chiuri was the mastermind behind the Saddle Bag’s revival. It initially debuted in classic and mini sizes in Dior’s iconic oblique print and leather. Dior would later go on to release countless iterations from seasonal versions to novelty prints like leopard and bold hues in every color of the rainbow.

Last year, in true Maria Grazia Chiuri fashion, she returned to the archives to bring back one of the most iconic Saddle Bags of all time, the Newsprint Saddle Bag.

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Dior 30 Montaigne

Introduced in 2019 on the heels of the Saddle Bag’s iconic return, the bag was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri for pre-fall 2019. Chiuri reportedly designed 10 prototypes for the collection, and the final product was ultimately chosen for its ease of wear and functional size.

Relatively simple in design, the rectangular flap bag is defined by its thick vertical leather belt, which attaches to a large gold CD logo. It was designed as an everyday workhorse bag—cool and stylish but casual and fuss-free.

Named after the brand’s original address at yes, you guessed it, 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, it’s ties to Dior’s past would start a trend for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s naming and designing of leather goods as you’ll read.

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Dior Book Tote

Few bags reach ultimate icon status as quickly as the Dior Book Tote did. Introduced by Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Spring/Summer 2018 collection, the bag was inspired by a late 60s sketch drawn by then-creative director Marc Bohan in 1967, which was located in the House’s archives.

Simple in silhouette, the bag is actually one of the House’s most intricate shapes to make. The original embroidered version requires more than thirty-seven hours of work and 1,500,000 stitches to be completed. The attention to detail and impeccable craftsmanship that goes into creating it encompass everything that Dior’s brand DNA stands for.

Since its first release, the Dior Book Tote has been reimagined season after season in new sizes, prints, and colors. As functional as it is fashionable, the bag has become a new classic for Dior, a favorite of fashion-forward jet-setters, influencers, celebs, and handbag lovers alike.

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Dior Bobby Bag

The Dior Bobby Bag was released for fall 2020, and despite trying times and a luxury slowdown, it was a hit. Rooted in history, the Dior Bobby Bag pays homage to Christian Dior, given its name as an ode to Mr Dior’s beloved dog Bobby.

Its silhouette, too, is an ode to the archives, featuring easy, curved lines and an elegant silhouette. It is classic yet modern and reminiscent of Mr. Dior’s founding vision for the house of Dior. Further honoring the brand’s heritage is gold initial CD hardware.

The Bobby Bag has also proven its staying power, released each season in new sizes, colors, and even seasonal novelty iterations like shearling and wicker.

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Dior Caro Bag

While the Dior Bobby cemented itself as the perfect everyday bag—sleek yet casual and modern yet timeless, the Dior Caro Bag came in shortly after to fill a need for everyday elegance. Introduced in 2021, the Dior Caro capitalized on Chuiri’s current moment and success within the leather goods category.

The Caro offers the refined appeal of a flap bag with a hint of House history. Introduced first in two sizes—small and large, the cannage print on the bags was said to require an incredible 18,000 stitches per bag.

Its emblematic cannage bridged the gap between today’s Dior and that of the past, while its bold CD turn-lock clasp was inspired by the seal of a Christian Dior perfume bottle.

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Dior Toujours Bag

Tapping into the big bag trend that finally took off in the early 2020s, the Dior Toujours bag was introduced for spring 2023 and truly represents Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior. Melding classic Dior codes with a contemporary appeal, the bag offers a relaxed shape and soft, slouchy construction.

While the Dior Toujours feels incredibly modern thanks to its size and soft slouch, its classic D-I-O-R gold charms add the distinct timelessness that Dior fans have grown to expect under Maria Grazia Chiuri’s reign.

Furthermore, it’s distinguishable by its classic Cannage leather, which pays homage to Dior’s savoir-faire. Its simple yet elegant design remains a staple in the Dior lineup and was recently introduced in a vertical iteration.

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Raquelle

I appreciate her bringing back the Saddle bag (it is forever a classic and should always be part of the Dior lineup), but everything else she brought was so cheugy. Anytime I see a Book Tote I want to light it on fire.

NYCPR

Other than bringing back the saddle bag she was an unremarkable handbag designer!

Kristie

I appreciate her contributions to the brand!

Gabrielle

Sadly, most of these bags are too heavily branded, which make them look cheap. When I first saw the book tote in person, I was super disappointed by the quality. It looks like something I could buy for less than $100 if it didn’t say “Christian Dior.”

Alicia Weiss

Maria Grazia Chiuri made Dior look like DHGate and that’s being generous

Anonymous7

While I loved MGC’s intention for clothes (she’s a woman’s woman), in the end, I always stayed away from the bags. Which is strange because I used to be a Dior lover through and through. I did love the 30 Montaigne and Bobby, but I didn’t pull the trigger because I was put off by the ever-changing logo that makes their bags look dated very soon. I’ve been very intentional with what I buy for the past decade, no trends for me. I’m not 20, I feel kitch wearing trendy items. More importantly, I feel silly when I spend these amounts for something that won’t last in my wardrobe, aesthetically, for a decade. An example was the Gucci Jackie, which I ended up getting two of – it’s a bag that just works by blending in with a trend-free aesthetic.

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