The Elegant Allure of the Vanity Bag

A distinctly feminine shape, the vanity bag’s history runs deep, dating back to ancient times when decorative boxes were used to house cosmetics and toiletries. A vanity case holding a hand mirror, perfumes, and other miscellany was even found in the tomb of an ancient pharaoh, dating back over 3,000 years.

Fast-forward to 14th-century France, a similarly used receptacle known as a traveling box stored personal grooming products for long journeys. By the 18th century, those French traveling boxes had evolved further; coined Nécessaire de Voyage, they were both a practical yet statement-making part of travel.

High Style for High Society

Reserved for royalty and high society, these cases were often called just Nécessaires. They were usually incredibly ornate, designed to hold all your accouterments, with intricate pockets meant to fit everything you needed to dress yourself.

Sometimes also referred to as dressing cases, during the 19th and 20th centuries, this necessary part of travel became widely popular, most resembling what we know today as the vanity case, though on a much larger scale.

The Golden Age of Travel is what propelled the modern-day vanity bag. The shape gained renewed popularity among women and soon became more feminine in design; it was then that the silhouette became known as a vanity case.

The Karl Lagerfeld Affect

In the 1950s and early ’60s, Karl Lagerfeld reinvigorated the distinct shape once reserved for travel and pure necessity. Lagerfeld’s designs for the House of Chanel are largely credited with transforming the function of a vanity case from a travel accessory to an everyday handbag.

Characterized by its boxy shape, short top handle, and zipper that spans the entirety of the bag’s perimeter, the shape remains a part of the Chanel line-up season after season but has fluctuated in popularity overall.

With some help from Loro Piana, the vanity case bag is back big time, quickly becoming one of 2024’s most-wanted shapes. Not a top-handle fan? Fear not—updated iterations from many brands offer the option of a shoulder or crossbody strap. Below, we’re rounding up the best vanity case bags the internet has to offer.

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