New season, new handbag. If you have yet to splurge on a designer handbag for fall 2023, set your eyes on Gucci’s new Horsebit Chain bag, a reinterpreted revival of a popular Y2K-era Tom Ford for Gucci design, which features a maxi-sized version of the Italian brand’s iconic equestrian-inspired motif.

In late August, approximately a week before the start of New York Fashion Week, Gucci released its Fall 2023 campaign, photographed by David Sims, featuring Italian model Vittoria Ceretti in a range of ensembles for day to night with the highly-anticipated Horsebit Chain bag in hand, over the shoulder, and held as a clutch, showcasing the versatility of the new purse that was updated with detachable double shoulder straps made of chain and leather.

Naturally, the new Gucci shoulder bag quickly made its street style debut in the Big Apple. Influencers like Aimee Song and Tamara Kalinic both paired the beige and ebony logo canvas versions of the Horsebit Chain bag with white tops and denim blue jeans, while another fashion show attendee opted for a much bolder approach, toting the padded silver leather version that shined bright against their Marques’Almeida lime-colored acid-wash jeans. Vogue’s Gabriella Karefa-Johnson also had her silver Horsebit Chain bag while out and about during the busy week of runway shows and fashion events, which was captured in a photo by Phil Oh, and posted to her Instagram Stories with the text “featuring the sexy cutie @gucci bag of my dreams”.

Tamara Kalinic is seen outside the Tibi fashion show carrying a Gucci Horsebit Chain handbag on September 09, 2023 in New York City (photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images); Aimee Song is seen arriving to the L’Agence presentation carrying a Gucci Horsebit Chain bag on September 07, 2023 in New York City (photo by Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images; Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

With Milan Fashion Week in full swing and the countdown to tomorrow’s debut collection by Sabato De Sarno, the new creative director of Gucci, you can expect to see many more Horsebit Chain bags on the arms and shoulders of fashion industry VIPs and celebrities, like Mytheresa’s Tiffany Hsu, who already snapped a shot of her new bag before hopping on her flight to the Italian fashion capital.

Available now on gucci.com in small and medium sizes in a variety of colorways and textures, now’s the perfect time to secure the bag of the season.

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Shop Gucci Horsebit Chain Bags

Gucci Horsebit Chain Small Shoulder Bag

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Gucci Horsebit Chain Small Shoulder Bag in Beige and Ebony Original GG Canvas $2,690 Buy Now At gucci

Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag

Courtesy of Gucci

Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag in Black Leather $3,890 Buy Now At gucci

Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag

Courtesy of Gucci

Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag in Silver Leather $3,890 Buy Now At gucci

Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag

Courtesy of Gucci

Gucci Horsebit Chain Medium Shoulder Bag in Rose Beige Leather $3,890 Buy Now At gucci

Editor’s Note: The History of the Gucci Horsebit Chain Bag

A handbag is not just simply a handbag. If this were the case, there would never have been an “It” bag, a designer handbag that is elevated to the highest level of popularity as one of the most coveted accessories on the market during a particular time period. As Karl Lagerfeld once said, “luxury bags make your life more pleasant, make you dream, give you confidence, and show your neighbours you’re doing well.”

During the ‘90s and the early aughts, a number of leather and canvas carriers rose to the level of It bag-status, such as the Fendi Baguette and Dior’s Saddle bag, both of which have had a resurgence in recent years. And for many fashion lovers, these holy purses would forever hold a place in our hearts as keepers of core memories, like precious subconscious time capsules of our lives and culture. Now, those iconic bags are remembered and celebrated on Pinterest boards and Instagram accounts like @Y2Kbags. For Gucci’s fall 2023 runway show, the first womenswear collection since the departure of former creative director Alessandro Michele, I was reminded of a bag that never quite achieved It bag-status, but nonetheless made a lasting impression in my life as a young student of fashion: the Gucci Horsebit Chain Bag.

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In an unexpected move from the house of Gucci, the trapezoid-shaped bag with maxi horsebit hardware has reemerged for the first time since 2004. Gucci refreshed the bag in a new variety of colorways — from bold red and vibrant yellow to an array of versatile neutrals — and textures — from plush shearling to padded leather and even a crystal-covered eye candy. Without a singular successor to the Gucci throne, the design team paid homage to the designers and artisans that contributed to the house’s identity that made it one of the most powerful Italian luxury labels, specifically taking inspiration from the past 30 years of the brand’s history. Though the runway show also featured new Jackie bags and other bag styles, the elongated clutch with maxi horsebit hardware from the height of Tom Ford’s reign at Gucci made the most impact in the collection of 53 looks.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 24: A model, bag detail, walks the runway at the Gucci show during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2023/24 on February 24, 2023 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Gucci) Getty Images for Gucci

In 1955, Gucci introduced the original equestrian-inspired Horsesbit bag, just two years after the horsebit detail made its debut on Gucci loafers. “The horsebit motif quickly became synonymous with the fashion house,” says Noelle Sciacca, Senior Fashion Lead at The RealReal. And though Ford incorporated the horsebit hardware into his clutch design, Michele is credited with reviving the classic bag with his 2020 cruise collection, which Sciacca says is when horsebit styles grew in popularity. “If we look at 2020 compared to 2022, demand for Gucci horsebits has gone up 130%.”

Ford’s horsebit interpretation might not have reached the highest of bag status heights, but it was a bestseller for the brand. The first collections in the new millennium mostly featured minimalist bags that lacked flashy logos or brand signatures until spring 2003, which included bags that featured the house’s signature bamboo detail. The following season, fall 2003, was when Ford debuted the Horsebit Chain bag. Shown in only black and an off-white colorway, the bag’s attraction was all in the fine details, with a mixture of textures and hardware. Gucci also featured the bag in the fall 2003 ad campaign, photographed by Mario Testino, in an image featuring model Dewi Driegen, topless and accessorized with leather opera gloves and aviator sunglasses (very on-trend for 2023) while holding an adorable naked baby.

For the following collection, spring 2004, the Horsebit Chain bag was electrified with pops of color (both for the hardware and leather), eye-catching textural mixes, and of course, Gucci’s signature logo print. These bags were a feast for the eyes and designed for the bold and unapologetically glamorous Gucci woman of the time — the epitome of a statement bag.

Left to right: A model at the Fall 2003 Gucci show in Milan (Giovanni Giannoni/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images); A model displays an outfit of the Gucci collection during the Milan’s 2004 Spring/Summer fashion week 02 October 2003 (Paolo Cocco/AFP via Getty Images)

One of the more notable celebrity style moments for the bag design was in March 2004, when Tom Ford was awarded a Rodeo Walk of Style Award in Beverly Hills. Actress Lucy Liu and singer Gloria Gaynor both carried the Horsebit Chain bag at the event, along with a number of other attendees.

Lucy Liu during Tom Ford Receives Rodeo Walk of Style Awards-Arrivals at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc) FilmMagic, Inc

Unfortunately, Gucci had some stiff competition out there for the It bag crown from competitors, such as Louis Vuitton and Dior. The aughts were a high point for both the Gucci brand and Tom Ford, but as senior management at PPR (now Kering) looked to seek more control over Gucci Group, it would lead to the end of an era. Tom Ford closed out his tenure with the Fall 2004 collection, one of his most glamorous collections praised by all. However, the large horsebit design was absent from the runway in favor of bags that featured hardware in the shape of a two-headed dragon (which was also applied to a gown in the collection). As his final collection for Gucci became one of the most important runway shows of the season, the clutch had just missed its moment in the spotlight. Plus, 2004 ushered in a new wave of more robustly-shaped designer bags with heavy hardware, such as the Chloé Paddington bag designed by Phoebe Philo, that were less glam and more grit, ideal for everyday dressing.

The bag silhouette and large horsebit detail only emerged once in a Gucci collection since Tom Ford’s time at the label. In 2011, designer Frida Gianini incorporated the bag into the G. Gucci Firenze 1921 collection, which was a limited-edition collection to celebrate Gucci’s 90th anniversary.

Though the bag style departed from the fashion stratosphere, this wasn’t the last time we would see the Horsebit Chain Clutch. Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton carried the clutch in November 2012 to a rugby match in Wales, the same red version that was also carried by Jennifer Aniston in an episode of Friends, “The One Where Ross Is Fine” in 2003, as discovered by a fan on Twitter and reported by Hello Magazine.

CARDIFF, WALES – NOVEMBER 24: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge holds a bouquet of flowers as she arrives at the Autumn International rugby match between Wales and New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on November 24, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele – WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images

Cut to 2019, when Kendall Jenner was spotted on several occasions sporting a monogrammed version of the Tom Ford-era bag from the spring 2004 collection with yellow and green croc-embossed leather detail, and again in February 2022. Then, in late 2022, Rihanna, a style icon whose style influence knows no bounds, carried a red velvet version of the bag with crystal embellishments while attending a reggae show in Barbados. Featured in the hands of such influential style figures, could this have inspired the design team at Gucci to bring it back?

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 20: Kendall Jenner seen on the streets of Manhattan on November 26, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images) GC Images

“The clutch is a particularly popular silhouette often bought in ‘fair’ condition – showing more signs of wear,” Sciacca shared back in February about the bag style’s popularity on The RealReal. “Since it’s no longer in production, shoppers are happy to have it with a little more wear to make it their own.” Though purchasing worn-in vintage bags has become a popular shopping trend on The RealReal, according to the company’s 2023 luxury consignment report, it will be interesting to see if shoppers opt for the glossy new versions or seek out the older Tom Ford designs.

The fall 2023 runway collection, described in the brand’s press release as an “exuberant conversation between past and future” and “an illustration of Gucci’s beating heart,” was a celebratory moment in the Italian fashion house’s history that remain a core memory for both fashion insiders and fanatics, one where this beloved Gucci Horsebit Chain bag will certainly not be forgotten.

Meet the Author

Adam Mansuroglu is the Director of Commerce for WWD and Footwear News, top editing and writing shopping content for both sites. The Brooklyn-native has written and edited countless fashion stories for publications such as Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, Out Magazine and more for over 12 years. Mansuroglu has followed Gucci’s collections since 2002, as Tom Ford’s designs for the brand inspired him in his teen years to pursue a career as a fashion editor. Mansuroglu updated this story, originally published in February 2023, with more information about the new Gucci Horsebit Chain Bag and its popularity amongst fashion industry insiders.

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