Celine Minaudiere

Now renowned for chic womenswear as well as luxury leather handbags that are often recognized for their iconic gold-tone fastening and hardware, French fashion house Celine got its start in children’s shoes.

In 1945, Céline Vipiana and her husband, Richard, opened a made-to-measure shoe shop for children at 52 rue de Malte in Paris. Designer Céline’s name graced the business, alongside a red elephant designed by French cartoonist Raymond Peynet that served as the company’s first logo.

In 1967, following an expansion into women’s shoes and leather accessories, the Vipianas decided to expand their company’s reach into women’s ready-to-wear, focusing on high-end sportswear. Céline Vipiana, who remained chief designer until her death in 1997, would oversee a range of fashion that would reach an international audience with a pared-down elegance and timeless style.

The company quickly achieved widespread success with its new offerings, most notably its trench coat, which became a staple for the brand. In the 1970s, they expanded outside Paris with boutiques in Monte Carlo, Beverly Hills and Hong Kong. In 1973, Céline Vipiana, inspired by chain links around the Arc de Triomphe, debuted the Blazon Chaîne motif of interlocking C’s. She began using it on a printed canvas and branding as well as accents on accessories, such as the Triomphe bag.

Vipiana’s designs were created to appeal as everyday fashion: Celine skirts, suits, fitted shirts, vests and coats were stylish but rooted in practicality. Quality, too, was paramount; Vipiana’s determination to deliver the best possible leather led to the opening of a studio in Florence, where the brand created its leather goods.

Vipiana died a year after her brand was acquired by Bernard Arnault’s luxury conglomerate LVMH for about $540 million. American designer Michael Kors then took the helm as creative director. Kors, too, was known for practical but chic ready-to-wear. He introduced such luxury staples as cashmere sets, smartly tailored pants and simple slip dresses, plus themed collections around jet-setter locales like Monte Carlo and Tahiti. Following Kors’s departure in 2004, onetime Burberry designer Roberto Menichetti took the job for just a year. He was followed by designer Phoebe Philo, the young British designer who is now credited with establishing Celine’s 21st-century style.

Philo created a distinct, minimal style that channeled the brand’s roots of practical simplicity with luxury materials. (“I just thought I’d clean it up,” she quipped of her debut collection in 2010.) Over the course of ten years, Philo turned the company into a beloved fixture of the fashion industry. In 2018, after Philo’s departure, the house tapped Hedi Slimane, former creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, as its new leader; he caused a stir when he famously removed the accent from the brand name. Controversial though it was, Slimane maintained it was a return to the label’s roots: an exercise in strong simplicity.

Find vintage Celine day dresses, handbags and other items on 1stDibs.

Vintage and designer evening bags and minaudières are elegant accessories that can elevate an ensemble and add an air of sophistication.

Evening bags began as coin purses and pouches. They were practical accessories before travel necessitated large cases and handbags eventually emerged and became a fashion statement. Evening bags grew in popularity with both men and women and, by the early 14th century, included details like embroidery and fine materials such as silk. As women began carrying hand fans, calling cards and perfumes, the evening bag became roomier while keeping its compact charm. Some designers added a thin shoulder strap. Today, the simplicity of a clutch or luxury evening bag remains as stylish as ever.

Minaudières are ornamental cases designed to hold personal items such as jewelry or cosmetics. A version of a vanity case, the minaudière was pioneered in 1933 by Charles Arpels of Van Cleef & Arpels. Made from metal, it could be engraved, decorated with precious stones or lacquered. The decade saw the popularity of these jewel-like pieces and other evening bags with Hollywood celebrities and others.

Though some of the world’s best-known luxury brands followed suit, minaudières are now made by only a small number of fashion houses such as Judith Leiber, Chanel, Versace and Hermès.

Shop an array of luxury designer evening bags and vintage minaudières in a range of designs, colors and styles to complement any outfit on 1stDibs.