ins and outs

Vuitton’s Bags Are in Good Hands With Ghesquière

Balenciaga bag.
Balenciaga bag.

If there’s one thing we know about Louis Vuitton’s newly tapped designer, Nicolas Ghesquière, it’s that he’s capable of churning out the mythical “It” bag. He made his first purses for Balenciaga in 2001, famously explaining that he just wanted his models to have something to hold as they walked the runway. They became an instant success, and soon his accessories became a celebrity honey trap, dangling from the arms of Kate Moss, Catherine Deneuve, Sarah Jessica Parker, Gisele, and even the Kardashians.

As handbags remain the cornerstone of Vuitton’s $8.41 billion business, a golden touch with handbags is a must for its new leader. It’s no coincidence, then, that the house also recently hired accessories wizard Darren Spaziani, who cut his teeth working with Ghesquière at Balenciaga a decade ago (and later helped develop Proenza Schouler’s popular “PS” series). Click through our slideshow to see Ghesquière’s biggest handbag hits from the past decade, as well as the celebrities who’ve loved them, and get ready for the next generation of famous fans.