Marc Jacobs Chain Shoulder Strap

Revered by fashion lovers all over the world, vintage Marc Jacobs bags, jackets, dresses and shoes are sophisticated yet edgy. The award-winning American designer is known for a pop culture-inspired aesthetic that combines elements of grunge, preppiness and couture for pieces with broad appeal. Jacobs was instrumental in modernizing esteemed luxury house Louis Vuitton — he introduced the company’s inaugural ready-to-wear line for women and men and even reimagined its logo — while simultaneously growing his signature brand, which is today celebrated for its innovative reinterpretations of classic designs, bright colors and oversize prints. 

Marc Jacobs was born in New York City in 1963. His father died when he was seven years old and he went on to live with his grandmother who deeply encouraged his creative spirit. He attended the High School of Art and Design while working at cult Manhattan clothing boutique Charivari. In his role as a stockboy at the store, he met designer Perry Ellis, who suggested he attend the Parsons School of Design. He did so, and for his senior thesis project at the school, Jacobs designed sweaters emblazoned with Op art graphics that earned him considerable attention from the fashion industry.

In 1984, Jacobs and his friend and business partner Robert Duffy launched the Marc Jacobs label. A year later, Jacobs received the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent. In 1997, Jacobs was named the creative director of Louis Vuitton, a position he held until 2014. He pushed the brand forward through collaborations with major contemporary artists and designers like Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince and Yayoi Kusama. This cooperative model has become a mainstay of the brand.

While helping the venerable luxury house earn accolades — and scores of new fans — for partnerships that melded fashion with art, Jacobs was also working on his namesake projects. He continued to design for his flagship line and debuted Marc by Marc Jacobs in 2001. Although the Marc by Marc Jacobs diffusion label closed in 2015, Jacobs has gone on to introduce beauty, fragrance and children’s lines. 

In 2020, Jacobs launched Heaven. A collaboration with Australian-born Ava Nirui — the art director at Jacobs’s flagship brand — the line comprises gender-neutral skirts, chokers and other garments and accessories that are aimed at a younger audience and draw on our era’s renewed appreciation for 1990s fashion.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America named Jacobs the Accessories Designer of the Year four times. The organization named him the Menswear Designer of the Year in 2002 — he was also honored with a plaque on the Fashion Walk of Fame in Midtown Manhattan that year — and the Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2016.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Marc Jacobs purses, tote bags and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.

Ever since we’ve needed an accessory to carry our personal items when we’re on the go, shoulder bags have proven indispensable. Today, vintage and designer shoulder bags are such a treasured part of fashion history that they even get their own museum exhibitions.

Prior to bags becoming an essential piece of any ensemble for any gender, women wore pockets strung on ribbons as garments that were separate from their gowns, accessible by openings in the fabric. Small handbags and handheld purses were developed before the accessory gained importance as functional and fashionable. Most had more in common with wallets than anything else.

While the bags of the 16th century warranted ornament, such as exteriors embroidered with silver-gilt thread and beads, it wasn’t until the late 18th century and early 19th century that the design and craft of bags had really broadened. Handheld purses were finished with details that were meant to garner attention, and bags were fitted with shoulder straps. A stylish shoulder bag meant that women could tote jewelry, cash and perhaps a decorative snuff box full of tobacco to an evening ball across town.

The early 1900s saw the introduction of gold and silver minaudières. The patenting of these compact bejeweled clutches has been attributed to revered French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels, and today they remain a fashion favorite. One of Judith Leiber’s innovative minaudières even earned a role in the movie Sex and the City.

A luxury shoulder bag is a work of art with a long, fascinating origin story, and entire brands and fashion lines have emerged around creating the perfect versions of shoulder bags and top-handle bags. For example, the iconic Hermès Kelly bag, which was popularized by actress Grace Kelly, is a widely coveted, collected and often faked entry from the handbag hall of fame. And while vintage Gucci tote bags have their own dedicated fan base, collectors and lovers of luxury are likely familiar with the Dionysus, a pared-down Gucci shoulder bag that manages to make a substantial statement anyway.

Embrace a classic look with a vintage shoulder bag designed by Chanel, Givenchy or Fendi — find yours on 1stDibs today.