Only the Classics: These are the It Bags of Winter 2025
Here at Who What Wear UK, we know how important it is to think carefully and in a measured manner about your next designer handbag purchase. After all, it's an investment piece and something you will likely tote around daily, hopefully for many years to come. With a higher price tag compared to most items in a wardrobe, a luxury handbag carries higher expectations and requirements, and we think it should also have a timeless quality.
When looking at which handbags are putting in serious work, I find myself looking at the It girls of today. Style setters such as Alexa Chung, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Sienna Miller, along with internet phenoms Elsa Hosk, Neelam Gill and Annabel Rosendahl, know the power of a great handbag, and are repeatedly spotted carrying the same ones.
I've been tracking handbag trends for a while now, and have identified seven key styles from our favourite luxury brands that are pipping all others to the post. From vintage-feel styles from Balenciaga, Gucci and Chloé, to new cult classics from The Row, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Prada, there are some real front-runner favourites that celebs and influencers alike are loving and investing in now.
From my fashion-editor's POV, what I think is most prominent about these handbag trends is that they are not necessarily trendy at all. Tapping into understated shapes, muted colour palettes and luxurious suede and leather fabrications, as well as utilising heirloom-like hardware, these handbags toe the line brilliantly between being quintessentially classic and thoroughly modern. Exactly what those with a discerning eye are looking for, right?
Scroll on now to see and shop the seven handbags that have gained It-bag status this winter.
The 7 It Bags of Winter 2025:
1. Bottega Veneta Andiamo Chain
Style Notes: When the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Dakota Johnson, Hailey Bieber and even Jacob Elordi have all been spotted rocking this bag, you know it has gained true cult status. Launching in 2023, and only rising and rising in popularity, the Andiamo is now a mainstay style for many style-conscious shoppers.
The Andiamo utilises Bottega Veneta's famous intrecciato technique (tightly woven strips of luxurious leather) and is finished with a knotted metal emblem, both of which are unmistakable calling cards of the brand. The Andiamo comes in various shapes, such as a clutch and east-west, but the Chain style is ideal for those looking for something that can be worn either on the shoulder or crossbody, due to its versatile strap. Available in small, medium and large sizes, this bag is a great, softly structured tote shape which will add serious luxe appeal to any given look.
