Ready-to-wear has been a Saint Laurent calling card since the house was founded in 1961. But over time, it’s successfully expanded into multiple categories, including handbags, which have become a key pillar of the business.
Read more: Vogue’s 2026 Guide To The Designer Handbags That Will Stand The Test Of Time
It-girls tend to play a central role in the rise of an “It-bag”, and in the case of Saint Laurent, seeding has been a focal strategy for the label’s creative directors. Hero styles have been toted by its ambassadors for many years, be it Ashley Olsen with a Tom Ford-era Mombasa in the 2000s, Kate Moss with an Hedi Slimane Duffle in the 2010s (she also has a logo-ed crossbody named after her), or Zoë Kravitz with an Anthony Vaccarello Le 5 À 7 shoulder bag in the 2020s.
But what, exactly, defines a Saint Laurent bag? Often, there’ll be visible branding, whether it’s a gilded YSL logo or a foil Saint Laurent stamp on the body of the leather. Chains and quilting are other traits that can be found on an SL bag.
The silhouettes are both confident and classic, spanning everyday totes, clutches and tuck-under-your-arm pouches. Leather is a primary material in Saint Laurent bags, but like the textural fabric signatures that make up its mainline collections, handbags are also rendered in sumptuous velvet, suede and faux fur, in a range of colours including neutrals and (very occasionally) saturated brights.
