Gucci’s Horsebit Chain Is Poised To Be The Biggest Bag Of 2024

The year hasn’t even ended and there are already several recently-launched designer bags primed to rule 2024. Few styles, however, will see as meteoric a rise as Gucci’s Horsebit Chain.

Gucci is an it bag-maker, after all, and the elongated shoulder topper has all the qualifications of an instant star. It has a legacy past; It’s part of a bigger cultural trend (the Y2K revival), with glory days in the noughties; And, most importantly, it has a stacked fanbase of A-list style stars.

Since its February debut on the label’s Fall 2023 Milan Fashion Week catwalk, the bag has swiftly migrated to the arms of fashion heroes and influencers alike — Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Dua Lipa, among them.

The Horsebit Chain’s Luxurious History

During Tom Ford’s reign as Gucci’s creative director in the nineties and noughties, he introduced several designs that have stood the test of time. The list includes hardware-accented G-strings and sheer monogrammed bras, but the Horsebit Chain bag, however, was arguably his most popular launch.

The accessory first debuted on October 5, 2003, as part of Gucci’s Fall 2003 show. Ford took inspiration from horsebit hardware — the equestrian-inspired emblem the label is known for. Instead of adding it as a subtle accent, which was more typical at the time, Ford played with proportion.

The resulting design featured enlarged hardware on a narrow, elongated shoulder bag featuring a chain strap. Thus, a Y2K it bag was born.

Icons of the era toted the designer item relentlessly. Lucy Liu, for example, clutched one on a red carpet, while fictional fashion girlie Rachel Green slung one on Friends. As with most Y2K trends, however, the item later fell off the radar — until February of 2023.

The Horsebit Chain made its inevitable comeback during the label’s MFW show, and this time around, it featured a few updated design details. Unlike the OG, which had one single strap, the new iteration features two: one chainlink and one leather. The modernized style also comes utterly yassified, in materials like padded leather, shearling, and metallics.

Naturally, Celebrities Love The Horsebit Chain

The oversize baguette is like catnip for style savants — especially, Y2K aficionados. In the fashion season following its relaunch, the Horsebit Chain became near-ubiquitous and was worn by influencers, editors, and celebs. One such star is Dua Lipa, who was spotted in London carrying a quilted silver style as a clutch.

Meanwhile, Dakota Johnson, the face of a different Gucci bag (the Jackie 1961), was also drawn to the reintroduced design, favoring the padded version in black.

Rihanna chose a cherry red style to match her monochromatic look, while Kendall Jenner was spotted rocking a vintage option in black.

Jenner isn’t the only one from her famous familiy who has taken to the design. Even big sis Kim Kardashian recently rocked the shearling iteration in white.

Wait, The Horsebit Chain Costs How Much?!

The bag comes in two sizes — a medium and a small — and in a variety of fabrications. Padded leather is easily the most identifiable of the new designs, and it’s available in bold tones (red, blue, green), iridescent tints (pink, blue), metallic silver, and neutrals. The bag also comes in luxe shearling, GG canvas, and a crystal-encrusted option for those who prefer a bit of sparkle.

The bag’s prices reflect typical Gucci wares and range from $2,690 for the smaller canvas bag to $5,890 for the rhinestone-covered option.