While movie actors often keep us inspired with their style, grace, and clothes, we often overlook accessories like handbags in movies. Nonetheless, any movie lover with a keen eye for fashion instinctively knows no outfit is perfect without a classy handbag. 

While colours like grey or beige may give an elegant vibe in film, we think that black can go with literally everything in real life. A black leather bag is indeed a fashion staple, simply because it’s versatile, dependable, and stylish. 

It’s a bag that has earned its spot on every handbag lover’s must-have list worldwide. It works for day or night, casual or formal —  it’s a bag that exudes effortless sophistication. 

This write-up discusses the most iconic handbags from famous movies that have continued to inspire fashion enthusiasts worldwide. Read on! 

  • The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Plot 

This movie is about an aspiring journalist (Andrea Sachs) who gets a job at a fashion magazine. However, she is often intimidated by her demanding fashion magazine editor (Miranda Presley), who is depicted as cold, arrogant, and always perfect for her hairstyle. 

The entire film revolves around the high-pressure world of fashion publishing. The movie opens with Miranda confidently striding into the Runway magazine office, sending the employees on high alert as they scramble to meet her every need. 

The Handbag

The most iconic handbag in this film is a sleek Prada tote with elegant lines in both modern and classic. The bag enhances Miranda’s white-grey Bob hairstyle and is big enough to fit all the things she doesn’t trust her assistants with. 

  • Sex and the City (2008) 

Plot 

This film revolves around the lives of four women — Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte — as they try to navigate the complexities of being single women in New York City. The main character Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is considering moving in with Mr. Big (Christopher Noth). However, she is hesitant, reluctant to surrender her independence. 

The Handbags 

There are several iconic bags in this series, but the ones that stood out were: 

  • Fendi Baguette: Just as Carrie famously says, “This isn’t a bag. It’s a Baguette,” in season 3, replying to the mugger who demanded her bag, the Fendi Baguette is truly a wardrobe essential of every style enthusiast. Fendi was the first brand to have its product appear on Sex and the City. Being arguably one of the first “It bags” in pop culture, its appearance in this series cemented its status as a fashion must-have.
  • The Timmy Woods Eiffel Tower bag: This iconic bag is first spotted when Carrie meets Mr. Big to hunt for their heavenly abode. It is made from hand-painted acacia wood and decorated with 7000 Swarovski crystals. The bag played a huge role in honouring the City of Love (Paris), which helped reunite the lovers. 

  • Cruella (2021) 

Plot

In this film, Emma Stone plays Estella, a young, clever, and eager girl who is determined to make a name for herself in the fashion world. She is expelled from school, and her mother, Catherine, decides to move them to London. In London, Cruella befriends fashion legend Baroness von Hellman and embraces her wicked side. 

The Handbag 

Any handbag connoisseur who watched this movie must have noticed the Louis Vuitton Capucines bag carried by Cruella. The bag is part of a special collaboration between the film and the luxury house. It was enhanced to fit Cruella’s character and perfectly reflects her signature colour scheme — black and white. 

Legally Blonde (2001)  

Plot

This movie is about Ellie Woods, a blonde who goes to Stanford Law School while being obsessed with fashion and beauty. As the fashionable sorority queen of her college, Ellie has it all. 

However, things began to change after her boyfriend dumped her. She becomes a laughingstock of the campus and starts fighting back and overcoming her limitations while keeping true to herself. 

The Handbag

Ellie goes to Havard, where she is spotted with a distinctive handbag, which, to her, is more than just a fashion statement. The bag is spacious enough to fit her dog, books, pens, and laptop. It exudes fabulousness and uniqueness, to say the least. Its versatility is what makes it a functional choice. 

Final Thought  

In the same way women’s tailoring in film has managed to craft unforgettable on-screen personas that have shaped both film history and real-world fashion trends, handbags have also reinforced their identity on set and in real life. 

A superb handbag collection — whether in a movie or real life — symbolizes wealth, power, and a character transformation. These accessories inspire generations of style enthusiasts to embrace their inner movie stars.