Princess Diana was never afraid to confirm herself as a great lover of luxury handbags. But despite her impressive repertoire boasting some of the biggest labels, from Dior to Chanel, it may surprise you to hear that her favourite was not high-end - or even leather - and was one that certainly didn't accompany her on formal royal engagements.
No, Princess Diana's favourite handbag was a simple, quilted shoulder bag with printed flowers that she wore during relatively informal moments, for example while the then Prince of Wales (now King Charles) participated in polo tournaments and she watched on from the stands.
In fact, it was during one of these such events in 1983 when Diana Princess of Wales created one of her most memorable looks - with this bag front and centre of the fashion moment.
It was from the brand Souleaido, in whose Fulham Road store she is said to have bought up to five of their bags which were manufactured in Provence, France.
In 1981, before marrying Charles, she bought her first iterations and wore them continuously for several years during those moments that allowed her to be more relaxed.
The most memorable one in particular was a rectangular silhouette with long handles that could be worn over the shoulder or toted in the crook of the elbow.
‘What happens if somebody breaks in and steals the dress, or something spills, or there’s a fire, or it gets stolen?’
Relatively oversized - today it would fit a small laptop computer - there was nothing impractical about this purchase. Somewhat refreshingly, when the Princess wore this bag it was actually to carry things, not just as a sartorial statement. It was, in short, as useful as it was beautiful.
It may not be quite as iconic or recognisable as *that* sheep sweater, but it is undeniably one of those pieces that Diana's most loyal devotees immediately identify with the late Princess at first glance.
Like almost everything Diana wore in her 36 years of life, this bag is an undeniably timeless trend. After all, the brand continues to sell it more than four decades after she acquired the first one. And in identical format; quilted cotton with printed flowers, in medium size, renamed years ago as Adiana (not entirely coincidentally, of course).
It also has a relatively affordable price tag, if we compare it with any of those high-end pieces that she wore to her official events, costing just under £120.
This type of quilted bag will always end up coming back into fashion.
A classic accessory that brands revisit from time to time, this summer Zara itself has a particularly strong version in burgundy with a classic scarf print, costing just £29.99.
Is it time to (re-?) embrace the quilted bag?
A version of this story originally appeared on GLAMOUR ES.
