Princess Diana’s Favorite ’90s Bag Still Makes Every Outfit Better (2024)

In My Most Worn, Bazaar editors share the fashion items they cherish more than any others in their closets. Here, senior news editor Rosa Sanchez explains why Dior’s Lady Dior bag is an enduring staple.

The first designer piece I purchased for myself was a glossy burgundy Vernis Brea Louis Vuitton bag, which I found used on eBay. I was 17 years old and had just moved to New York City to study fashion design. (I backed out of that career as soon as I realized I hated to sew.) I had a monthly stipend from my parents and my grandma, and I aggressively misused it shopping for clothes. In terms of my money management, little has changed since.

It took a few years for luxury secondhand shops like Vestiaire Collective, Fashionphile, and the RealReal to pop up, and when they did, my real collecting began. First came a vintage quilted Chanel chain-strap bag, then a vintage white and beige Fendi canvas Zucchino baguette, then a brown Louboutin Greekaba tote, then A Stella McCartney Falabella tote I “accidentally” bought brand new one day when I walked into Nordstrom to use the restroom. After that, I got big into luxury beach totes, shopping for a vintage mini navy-and-white striped Louis Vuitton Antigua canvas tote, and scouring the web for the perfect bag of the summer, the toile de Jouy Dior book tote. The list goes on, despite the fact that my closet space has not expanded. But to this day, the handbag I’ve gotten the most use out of is my classic black Lady Dior, which I got as an early 28th birthday present for myself.

The boxy quilted leather bag, which features metallic gold D-I-O-R charms that jingle as you walk, was created in 1995. It was named after the ultimate It girl, Princess Diana—or Lady Di. I was just two years old at the time, and certainly not yet looking to accessorize with anything more than my Cabbage Patch Kid and my pink Barbie Jeep. So many years later, the bag still packs a punch.

Diana was gifted the bag that year by Bernadette Chirac, the first lady of France at the time. Though she sadly got to carry it for only two years before her untimely passing, the then–Princess of Wales gave the piece its icon status, wearing it with everything from a lacy black slipdress, to a pale pink belted minidress, to a vibrant orange skirt suit, to a bright red pantsuit.

Though not a royal nor a celebrity, I have also found the bag to be incredibly versatile, and have regularly paired it with both breezy slipdresses and monochrome suiting. I have just as easily found myself carrying it to dinner with friends as a crossbody with jeans, as to Trader’s Joe’s on the weekends with leggings and an oversize sweatshirt. It’s rare, at least in my experience, to own a piece of luxury that can also feel so casual. While I cherish all of my bag babies equally, I am more purposeful when it comes to pulling out most of my other designer purses. Meanwhile, the Lady Dior feels elevated, but also sturdy, practical, and like a part of every outfit.

While this bag has been around for decades, it feels even more relevant now. Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri recently revived the classic bag, rounding off the edges and handle to make it more feminine, and blinging up the charms—a nod to Christian Dior’s fascination with amulets, jewelry, trinkets, and talismans. Now, the 95.22 edition comes in a variety of colors, sizes, and finishes, and with different embellishments.

At a recent holiday party, I saw about 10 versions of the little icon, with some guests styling the new micro shimmer versions with blazers, flowy skirts, and sequin dresses. Mine is still my favorite.