A History of Princess Diana’s Favorite Designer Handbags
Almost 25 years after her untimely passing, Princess Diana’s legacy continues to live on in movies, TV shows, and especially fashion. Throughout her time in the public eye, the People’s Princess gathered an arsenal of go-to bags and thanks to her wide influence and relationships with designers, many of her favorite styles have since been named in her honor. From Dior’s Lady Di to Tod’s D Bag, Diana has an eponymous bag from several major brand and many of them are considered classics to this day. Scroll through to check out Diana’s absolute favorite styles and the stories behind them.
Following its initial release in 1991, Diana was often seen holding this bamboo-handled bag. In fact, she just so happens to be rummaging through it in those now-iconic photos of the Princess leaving the gym in a Northwestern sweatshirt and white biker shorts. In July 2021, the brand even reissued the bag, modernizing it with a neon band stretched across the straps.
Diana first received this bag when it was gifted to her by the then-First Lady of France, Bernadette Chirac, in 1995. While it was first known as the Chouchou bag, Dior renamed it the Lady Dior in 1996, in honor of Diana. To this day, the bag remains a classic for the brand. Diana’s daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, was even spotted wearing the updated version of it during her last visit to NYC.
The Gucci Diana wasn’t the only large bag the Princess carried. She also loved Italian leather house Tod’s D bag, a leather tote she was seen carrying often.
In 1997, Diana asked her friend, designer Lana Marks, to commission a top handle bag. The result, the Princess Diana Handbag, ended up being one of the princess’ go-to accessories.
According to Vogue, Diana liked this chain-strap shoulder bag so much, she owned it in 20 colors. Because of this, Ferragamo later named the design after the Princess.
Gianni Versace and Diana became close in the late 90s as the designer began to dress her more and more. “There is a kind of serenity,” Versace told Vanity Fair about the Princess. “I had a fitting with her last week for new suits and clothing for spring, and she is so serene. It is a moment in her life, I think, when she’s found herself—the way she wants to live.”
It is surprising, then, that there is no Versace bag named after Diana, though that didn’t stop her from carrying the brand on many occasions.
Designer Anya Hindmarch revealed to The Telegraph that she used to design clutches for Diana for a very specific purpose. “We used to laugh when we designed what she called her 'cleavage bags', little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars,” Hindmarch said.
Following Diana’s divorce, rumor had it she didn’t like the Chanel logo, as the interlocking CCs reminded her of her ex-husband, Charles, and his new partner, Camilla. However, eventually, Diana did return to the classic brand and was often seen carrying their bags.
