Arm Candy

The idea of the Birkin was born on a Paris-to-London flight in 1983,when French actress Jane Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas of the house of Hermes were sitting side by side. Birkin complained that no bag had enough pockets to hold her things and Dumas offered to create her dream bag. The most coveted of bags,the Birkin boasts of one of the longest waiting periods for a bag. But that doesnt stop celebrities like Victoria Beckham from owning over a 100 of them.

LOUIS VUITTON Speedy

Following the resounding success of the Keepall,Louis Vuitton decided to launch a smaller version for travel in 1930. The Speedy was originally named the Express,a reference to the development of modern means of transportation and to a faster way of living. It is believed to have started the trend of carry-all City Bags in the 60s. Actress Audrey Hepburn loved her Speedy so much,she asked Henri-Louis Vuitton to create a smaller version for her and the Speedy 25 was born. Marc Jacobs,who took over as creative director in 1997,is credited with giving the monogrammed bag seasonal makeovers.

DIOR Lady Dior

Legend has it that Frances erstwhile first lady Bernadette Chirac gave Diana,Princess of Wales,a handbag with letter charms from the House of Dior on the occasion of the Cézanne exhibition at the Grand Palais in 1995. Diana,the worlds most photographed woman then,loved the bag and toted it at many public appearances. The house renamed the bag Lady Dior in 1996. The cane-motif topstitching on the bag is inspired by the Napoléon III chairs used by Mr Dior to welcome clients on the day of his 1947 fashion show.

CHANEL 2.55 Flap bag

Mademoiselle Coco Chanel created the bag in February,1955,hence the name. This fashion icon was born in Chanels quest to create a hands-free bag. It ushered in a whole new way for women to carry their bags,thanks to its gold links and leather braided strap. The burgundy lining of the bag was inspired by the colour of the uniform Ms Chanel wore at the Aubazine Abbey orphanage and the quilted look was derived from the jackets worn by the stable lads at the racecourse she visited during her youth. A functional piece with seven pockets,the making of 2.55 flap bag requires 180 delicate operations. Craftsmen require five years of experience in Chanel workshops before they are allowed to work on the iconic.

BOTTEGA VENETA Knot

Though the Bottega Veneta box clutch was designed sometime in the 70s,the Knot closure was designed in 2001 by Tomas Maier,when he took over as creative director. He took the archival shape and reintroduced it. Interpretations of the Knot have ranged from the understated to the extravagant over the years.

TODS D-Bag

The first bag Tods introduced in 1997 became a favourite with celebrities like Princess Diana,Cindy Crawford,Julianne Moore and Hillary Clinton. In fact,Diana went on to become the unofficial poster girl for the brand,carrying the bag everywhere and it was officially rechristened the D-Bag following her untimely death. Today,the bag has found fans in her daughter-in-law Kate Middleton,Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron. The D-Bag is now also available in a couture edition in precious skins.

GUCCI New Bamboo bag

The original bamboo-handle bag,product-code 0633,was developed in a Gucci backroom in Florence in 1947,by craftsmen who were constrained by wartime sanctions on fine leathers and metal components. The innovative curved bamboo strip handle soon became a signature Gucci design. In spring 2010,Frida Giannini presented The New Bamboo bag,a sporty and contemporary reinterpretation of the original,an instant favourite with celebrities like Carla Bruni Sarkozy,Jennifer Lopez and Naomi Watts.

FENDI Baguette

This purse takes it name and shape,literally,from a traditional loaf of bread. Silvia Venturini Fendi created the baguette in 1997 and it went on to earn Fendi an international award for accessories in the year 2000. With its trademark short handle,this bag is meant to be carried under the arm. It became a phenomenon after playing a starring role in Sex and The City.

PRADA Saffiano Tote

While Miuccia Prada started out with a waterproof backpack called Pocone in the 1970s,the house of Prada went on to create many iconic bags like the Bowling bag,the Pyramid and the Saffiano Tote. But its the latter,with its specially crafted Saffiano leather,that has weathered trend cycles. The simple shape of the bag has remained unchanged over the years but the colours change.

MARC JACOBS Stam

In 2006,Marc Jacobs specifically designed a bag for Canadian model Jessica Stam to lug about her heavy portfolio. The quilted leather bag with detachable shoulder straps and an oversized clasp became an instant hit and has been seen on the arms of celebrities like Rihanna,Scarlett Johansson and Kate Moss since.