The Italian house of Gucci has maintained its status as a legendary luxury brand by adeptly reading and adapting to the changing fashion scene over the years. Many Gucci bags designed from the mid-20th century on are now sought-after by collectors thanks to their youthful spirit and enduring style.

Founded in the 1920s as a saddle-making company, Gucci first caught the attention of the international fashion crowd with its stylish bamboo handle—an innovation necessitated by leather shortages after WWII. Continued design savvy and smart marketing ensured Gucci's continued success. The house has distinguished itself with innovative signature touches such as the unmistakable red-and-green webbing and striped enamel hardware introduced in the late 1960s, the double-G logo in the 1980s, and most recently, by hiring a master of archival inspiration and instinct, Tom Ford, at the end of the 1990s.

Along the way, the brand has attracted its fair share of celebrities. In the 1960s, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was pictured carrying a Gucci shoulder bag—effectively casting aside the stiff suits and hats of the White House years. That bag has since become known amongst collectors as the Jackie O. Her bold, anti-establishment spirit was as renowned as her indisputable good taste. When she donned this bag, it elevated the fashion house even further—and established the Jackie O as one of Gucci's most desirable vintage styles.