BALENCIAGA metallic silver leather 2019 MINI SHOPPING TOTE PHONE Case Bag
By Balenciaga
Located in Zürich, CH
This 100% authentic Balenciaga Mini Shopping Tote phone case is crafted in metallic silver leather. The design features two black tubular lambskin leather handles and a contrasting b...
BALENCIAGA metallic gold Arena distressed leather LE CAGOLE XS Shoulder Bag
By Balenciaga
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Balenciaga Le Cagole XS shoulder bag in cracked metallic gold Aren lambskin leather.
Balenciaga Metallic Bag Charm Hourglass Earrings
By Balenciaga
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Antique gold-tone earrings from Balenciaga. Crafted from a brass and bronze alloy, this pair features iconic ‘Hourglass’ bag charms. Color: Antique Gold tone Material: 80% Bronze, 2...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror, With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 4", Height 10", Width 15", Depth 5", Strap Drop 9" Designer: Balenciaga Model: City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium...
BALENCIAGA metallic silver crackled leather SMALL BAZAR Tote Bag
By Balenciaga
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Balenciaga Small Bazar shoulder bag in metallic silver crinkled calfskin.
BALENCIAGA Classic Metallic Edge City grey leather gold trim motorcycle bag
By Balenciaga
Located in Hong Kong, NT
BALENCIAGA Classic Metallic Edge City grey leather gold trim motorcycle bag Reference: TGAS/F01008 Brand: Balenciaga Model: Balenciaga Classic Metallic Edge City Bag i Material: Leat...
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather, crafted in red leather, features braided woven handles, long fringe details, metallic edge and studs, and gold-tone hardware.
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather, crafted in red leather, features braided woven handles, long fringe details, metallic edge and studs, and gold-tone hardware.
Balenciaga City Medium Metallic Leather Shoulder Bag
By Balenciaga
Located in London, GB
Balenciaga City Medium Metallic Leather Shoulder Bag.
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror Measurements: Handle Drop 5.5", Height 11", Width 13", Depth 7" Designer: Balenciaga Model: Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Exterior Material: Leather Exte...
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror Measurements: Handle Drop 5.5", Height 11", Width 13", Depth 7" Designer: Balenciaga Model: Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Exterior Material: Leather Exte...
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror, Dust Bag, With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 5.5", Height 11.5", Width 13", Depth 6.5", Strap Drop 19" Designer: Balenciaga Model: Velo Classic Metallic Edge B...
Balenciaga Town Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 5", Height 9", Width 13", Depth 3", Strap Drop 19-21.5" Designer: Balenciaga Model: Town Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Exterior ...
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Scuffs on strap, small glue stains on rear opening corner, minor wear and marks in interior, scratches on hardware. Accessories: Dust Bag, Mirror, With Strap Measurements: Handle Dro...
Balenciaga Velo Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror, With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 4.5", Height 12", Width 13", Depth 6", Strap Drop 19-22" Designer: Balenciaga Model: City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather ...
Balenciaga Papier A4 Classic Studs Bag Metallic Calfskin
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga Papier A4 Classic Studs Bag Metallic Calfskin, crafted in gray metallic calfskin leather, features dual slim handles, front zip pocket, studs and buckle details, and ...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini, crafted from neutral leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and silver...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini, crafted from neutral leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and silver...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium, crafted from pink leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and silver-...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini, crafted from neutral leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and silver...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Small
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Small, crafted from pink leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and gold-ton...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium, crafted from white leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and gold-t...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Mini, crafted from blue leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and gold-tone...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium, crafted from red leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and gold-ton...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Small
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
This Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Small crafted from red leather, features dual braided woven handles, studs and buckle details, front zip pocket, and gold-tone ...
Balenciaga Black Leather Classic Metallic Edge City Bag
By Balenciaga
Located in Dubai, Al Qouz 2
This Classic Metallic Edge City bag from the House of Balenciaga is very chic and elegant in appearance and style.
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror, Dust Bag, With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 4.5", Height 10", Width 15", Depth 5", Strap Drop 10" Designer: Balenciaga Model: City Classic Metallic Edge Bag L...
Balenciaga City Classic Metallic Edge Bag Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Accessories: Mirror, Dust Bag, With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 4.5", Height 9", Width 15", Depth 5.5", Strap Drop 10" Designer: Balenciaga Model: City Classic Metallic Edge Bag ...
Balenciaga City Classic Studs Bag Metallic Leather Medium
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Cracking on handle wax edges, minor wear and discoloration in interior, scratches on hardware. Accessories: Dust Bag, Mirror, With Strap Measurements: Handle Drop 5", Height 10.5",...
Balenciaga Metallic Edge Zip Crossbody Bag Leather Small
By Balenciaga
Located in NY, NY
Minor wear on base corners, slight creasing on strap, indentations and wear in interior, scratches on hardware. Accessories: Dust Bag, Mirror, With Strap Measurements: Height 6", Wid...
Starting as a modest boutique, Balenciaga evolved to transform the landscape of women’s fashion with shapes and contours during the middle of the 20th century that were nothing less than groundbreaking. Today, the brand is as venturesome as ever and is well known for its shoes, handbags, sneakers, streetwear and other clothing and accessories.
Though he was born in the quiet fishing village of Getaria in Spain’s Basque region, Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972) was destined to reshape modern fashion. As a child, he worked alongside his seamstress mother. Showing immense talent, he earned commissions as a teenager from local patron Marquesa de Casa Torres, who paid for his tailoring education in Madrid. In 1917, he established his first haute couture house — named Eisa, for his mother — in the trendy resort town San Sebastián. He soon followed it with boutiques in Madrid and Barcelona, drawing such clientele as the Spanish royal family.
When the Spanish Civil War put a hold on his prospects in Spain, the designer moved to Paris, opening a house on Avenue Georges V in 1937. There, Balenciaga rubbed elbows with fashion greats like Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli and quickly won over clients like Gloria Guinness, Pauline de Rothschild and Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.
As a couturier, Balenciaga drew from his Spanish heritage for ideas, riffing on everything from matador costumes and flamenco dresses to the paintings of Diego Velázquez, whose portraits of Spanish princesses famously inspired Balenciaga’s Infanta gown.
An expert tailor, he experimented with sculptural silhouettes that didn’t follow the body. Some of his notable designs include the 1953 balloon jacket, and from 1957, the cocoon coat, the baby-doll dress and the sack dress, which he popularized with his good friend designer Hubert de Givenchy. All of these could be considered not just the masterpieces of haute couture, but also objets d’art in their own right, leading to Balenciaga’s nickname, “The Master.”
Balenciaga continued designing until 1968, when he retired after three decades of influential work and his fashion house went dormant. The rights to Balenciaga were acquired by Jacques Bogart S.A. in 1986. Under designer Michel Goma, who focused on ready-to-wear, the brand experienced a resurgence, with his first collection introduced in 1987.
The brand returned to high fashion with the arrival of designer Josephus Thimister in 1992. It has since been led by a series of creative directors who have paid homage to Balenciaga’s iconic designs, including Nicolas Ghesquière, Alexander Wang and, most recently, Demna Gvasalia. In 2011, a museum celebrating Balenciaga’s legacy opened in his hometown in Spain, commemorating where it all began.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Balenciaga crossbody bags, tote bags, day dresses, shirts and more.
An integral part of fashion, handbags and purses have been indispensable accessories ever since we began to carry around personal items. Level of craftsmanship, style and shape matters — from coin purses in ancient Greece to early 20th-century opera bags and onward, handbags have evolved considerably over the years to meet our needs and desires, whether or not you happen to be prioritizing functionality over a flashy exterior.
Once, a single “It” handbag ruled each fashion season. No more. Today, lovers of vintage handbags are savvier and have a wider range of shopping options. Nevertheless, classics created by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior and Balenciaga still rule.
“It is not a fashion bag — it is a statement bag,” says Mightychic's Debra Kent of Hermès's widely beloved accessories. “When you carry an iconic Hermès bag — Birkin, Kelly, Constance — no one knows how long you have been into this culture or if you are a newbie. Your status is validated immediately.”
First released in 1997, Fendi's Baguette rose to fame along with Carrie Bradshaw, the Sex and the City character portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker. Recently, the design has seen such a resurgence in popularity that Fendi has reissued it.
They are part of design history, so owning a handbag has meaning. As New York–based fashion historian Sarah C. Byrd says, “You have made the choice to invest in this piece because you understand the value of it in the past and in the future to come.”
From a 1980s Chanel black leather quilted mini buckle bag to the rare Hermès Birkin 30cm Himalayan with diamond hardware to a range of 19th-century bags, find a rich variety of vintage and designer handbags and purses spanning numerous brands on 1stDibs — seasonal “It” designation no longer needed.