Being a “horse girl” is about to be extra fashionable. The upcoming Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Horse, which no doubt means a spike in the popularity of equestrian design elements, particularly the horse bit.
Part of a bridle, used for controlling a horse, the bit consists of a metal or rubber bar that sits inside the mount’s mouth and attaches to a ring on each side that connects to the reins. It is a utilitarian creation, but its long lines and subtle sculptural qualities have made it a staple motif for luxury design houses like Hermès and Ferragamo. Gucci has employed the bit as an emblem since the early 1950s, although the brand’s equine association goes back even further.
Guccio Gucci, the firm’s namesake founder, moved in the late 19th century from his native Florence to London, where he worked as a porter at the Savoy Hotel. This experience led him to start making fine luggage in 1921, but it also introduced him to the refined style of the leisure pursuits of horseback riding and polo.
Fast-forward to the early 2000s, when Tom Ford, during his tenure as Gucci’s creative director, put his signature cheeky spin on the horse bit. In 2003, Gucci’s Horsebit clutch was ushered into the stable of iconic Y2K handbags. The design was produced in a variety of patterns, colors and materials, but the print of this limited-edition black satin Gucci Horsebit clutch offered on 1stDibs by Couture Fairy Boutique makes it particularly alla moda for 2026.
The bag is a quintessential Tom Ford statement. A large horse bit spans the length of the front flap, secured with a studded leather strap that wraps around the clutch’s body. The satin exterior features Gucci’s Flora print, whose colorful flowers form a stark with the black backdrop.
The house introduced the print in 1966, in a scarf designed by house collaborator Vittorio Accornero de Testa. Decades later, the vibrant archival pattern captured Ford’s attention, and it has been employed since by each of his successors as creative director. It recently made a dazzling appearance in Demna’s much-anticipated Gucci debut, which also showcased white and black iterations of the print, in commanding gowns.
Creating a bag that brought together the horse bit and the Flora print — two design elements core to the Gucci brand — and making them feel modern exemplifies Ford’s genius. And wrapping the bit in black lizard brought his trademark edge to the motif. After all, Ford’s work has always been known for its, ahem, unbridled sex appeal.
