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it bags
November 5, 2012

Celebrities and Balenciaga Bags: A Love Affair

By Stella Bugbee

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Photo: Darren Banks/Splash News; Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images; Dean Chapple/Splash News

From Jane Birkin’s Hermès bag to Jackie O’s bamboo-handled Gucci purse to Carrie Bradshaw’s Fendi baguette, there is no science for how a bag achieves iconic, decade-defining status. Being worn by the right woman at the right time certainly helps, but it’s no golden ticket. Being worn by every right women over the last ten years is even better. And if you can sustain the Kardashian swell, you’re golden. Nicolas Ghesquière, who left Balenciaga today, famously explained that he designed his first multicolor leather purses just so his models would have something to hold as they walked the runway in 2001. But as the legend goes, Kate Moss couldn’t get enough of them, and the rest is handbag history. As impressive as his runway and ready-to-wear remains, it will be these soft, thin, hardware-heavy bags that most people associate with his career at Balenciaga. Perhaps because a dizzying number of starlets, “It” girls, and C-listers carried his bags at some point. From Rumer Willis to Salma Hayek to Nicky Hilton in her early-aughts heyday, click to see a decade of celebrity product placement (or legitimate handbag shopping?) in our slideshow.

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1 / 33 Photos
Kate Moss, December 16, 2003  Photo: Gareth Cattermole/2003 Getty Images
Nicky Hilton, December 1, 2004  Photo: J. Merritt
Nicole Richie, February 5, 2005  Photo: Evan Agostini/2005 Getty Images
Anna Kournikova, March 16, 2005  Photo: Gustavo Caballero/2005 Gustavo Caballero
 Sienna Miller, July 15, 2005  Photo: C. Uncle
Nicole Richie, August 31, 2005  Photo: Matthew Simmons/2005 Getty Images
Lindsay Lohan, April 5, 2006  Photo: Mark Mainz/2006 Getty Images
Kate Moss, August 31, 2006  Photo: Dean Chapple/Splash News/(c) www.splashnews.com
Katie Holmes, March 2007  Photo: Splash News/© www.splashnews.com
Diane Kruger, June 26, 2007  Photo: Gregg DeGuire/http://www.wireimage.com
Catherine Deneuve, October 4, 2007  Photo: Chad Buchanan/2007 Chad Buchanan
Mary-Kate Olsen, January 8, 2008  Photo: Marcel Thomas
Kate Moss, April 3, 2008  Photo: Darren Banks / Splash News/© www.splashnews.com
Heidi Montag, April 19, 2008  Photo: Chris Wolf/2008 Chris Wolf
Amanda Bynes, March 11, 2009 
Eliza Dushku, March 28, 2009  Photo: David Aguilera/2009 BuzzFoto
Nicky Hilton, September 11, 2009 
Chanel Iman, September 16, 2009  Photo: Ray Tamarra/2009 Ray Tamarra
Nicole Richie, January 16, 2010  Photo: David Aguilera/2010 BuzzFoto
Kim Kardashian, July 7, 2010  Photo: Henry Flores/2010 BuzzFoto
Sarah Jessica Parker, October 19, 2010  Photo: Ray Tamarra/2010 Ray Tamarra
Salma Hayek, October 28, 2010  Photo: Andrew H. Walker/2010 Getty Images
Hilary Duff, February 4, 2011  Photo: Trago/2011 Trago
Kim Kardashian, March 23, 2011 
Khloe Kardashian Odom, April 4, 2011  Photo: Frederick M. Brown/2011 Getty Images
Rumer Willis, September 30, 2011  Photo: Gregg DeGuire/2011 Gregg DeGuire
Hilary Duff, December 15, 2011  Photo: JB Lacroix/2011 JB Lacroix
Gisele, January 15, 2012 
Victoria Justice, January 22, 2012 
Ashley Tisdale, January 25, 2012  Photo: JB Lacroix/2012 JB Lacroix
Dakota Fanning, February 28, 2012  Photo: Allan Bregg / Splash News/Ã?© www.splashnews.com
Cassie, May 18, 2012  Photo: Marc Piasecki/2012 Marc Piasecki
Naomi Watts, August 28, 2012  Photo: Jacopo Raule/2012 Jacopo Raule
1 / 33

Tags:

  • balenciaga
  • celebrities
  • fame
  • it bags
  • balenciaga motorcycle bag
  • handbags
  • nicolas ghesquiere
  • More

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