Courreges Large Tote Bag In

Revolutionary couturier André Courrèges made a name for himself on the buzzy Paris fashion scene of the 1960s with audacious Space Age designs that pointed to the future. The world of haute couture credits him with toppling the conservative standards assigned to feminine clothing back then and propelling a movement that celebrated a more revealing brand of women's attire — including chic miniskirts, his iconic white ankle boots and often whimsical dresses with necklines that turned heads.

While vintage André Courrèges suits, jackets and other apparel garnered the designer ample praise, he wasn’t confined to producing clothing. He is also widely revered for creating some of the era’s most stylish accessories, like his offbeat, goggles-esque sunglasses and distinctive scarves, which boasted lively patterns and an alluring range of Pop art colors and pastels.

Born in the French Pyrenees, Courrèges wanted to become an artist at an early age, but his father steered him into engineering. Though successful as an engineer, Courrèges pivoted to fashion. He moved to Paris and worked briefly for couturiere Jeanne Lafaurie. In 1948, he took a job with Cristóbal Balenciaga, and within a couple of years, he had ascended to the role of Balenciaga’s first assistant.

While working for Balenciaga, Courrèges met dressmaker Coqueline Barrière, whom he would later marry. In 1961, the couple established their own fashion house, where they collaborated as creative partners for the remainder of the designer’s life.

Courrèges was among the designers who ushered in the rise of ready-to-wear. He favored figure-hugging silhouettes and geometric shapes, and looked to the work of architect Le Corbusier — a like-minded proponent of simplicity and clean lines. Alongside innovators such as Mary Quant, Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin — the latter's futuristic looks were catnip for the free-spending consumers of the postwar years — Courrèges explored ways to outfit women with comfortable everyday wear, working with forward-looking materials such as plastic and polyvinyl chloride in his unadorned dresses of stark white. Mexican socialite and Harper’s Bazaar editor Gloria Guinness, pop star Françoise Hardy and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy were among some notable names to wear Courrèges originals.

By the mid-1960s, Courrèges had risen to the top of his industry, and there were many imitators. He took strict control of production at his namesake label, only allowing distribution through licensed sellers. He and Coqueline sold off part of the company in 1968 to L'Oreal, and by the early 1970s, Courrèges had more than 100 boutiques worldwide, also expanding into fragrances and menswear. In 1983, the couple restored themselves to full ownership of the company and in 2011 sold the company to French advertising executives Jacques Bungert and Frédéric Torloting. Artémis, which controls the global luxury group Kering, acquired a minority stake in the Courrèges brand in 2015 and took full control three years later.

Find vintage André Courrèges clothing, purses and other items on 1stDibs.

From classic medium-sized Louis Vuitton leather tote bags to authentic cube-like Loewe shoulder bags woven in raffia, the large selection of vintage and designer tote bags on 1stDibs offers something for special occasions as well as everyday needs.

Although part of a modern look, tote bags have been roomy and versatile accessories since at least 1944, with the launch of L.L.Bean’s “ice bag.” The Maine retailer, then largely known for rugged field coats and hunting shoes, had introduced a big, durable canvas bag that was initially intended to carry firewood or ice. In those days, to keep produce and other foods cool in refrigerators, consumers had to regularly replace the blocks of ice that were doing all the work in their bulky appliances. There was no better bag to help haul big blocks of ice from the trunk of your car to your front door and, subsequently, to your kitchen.

Years later, during the 1960s, L.L.Bean’s Boat and Tote was introduced as an overhauled structured canvas version of the ice bag. Tested to lug up to 500 pounds, the Boat and Tote became a best seller. Also during the 1960s, American designer Bonnie Cashin created the Cashin Carry for Coach. Cashin was Coach’s first lead designer, and she liked leather, large pockets and earth tones. Her modern interpretation of the tote bag introduced a touch of elegance to this increasingly ubiquitous accessory.

In the subsequent decades, more brands debuted their own iterations of the tote bag, from Tory Burch’s Perry leather tote bag to Goyard’s luxurious Saint Louis. 

Pay tribute to this long and interesting history of a well-loved accessory by browsing the vintage and designer tote bags on 1stDibs.