Modern / Vintage

1999 Christian Dior CD 'Saddle Bag'  

Similar here and here (under £100!)

One of the first items I ever bought from eBay was this Dior saddle bag. I paid around £28 for it and I wasn't expecting it to be much, but when it arrived I was overwhelmed by actually how lovely it was and how luxurious it felt. I won the auction on it, which started at 99p, I think because it a) wasn't listed very well; the photographs were really dark and the description was, well, nondescript; and b) it ended at something like 10.30pm on a Tuesday so there didn't really look as if there was that much interest in it. Having only recently started using eBay, it felt like a huge coup to win an auction; even more so when it turned up carefully packaged and even nicer than I had hoped.

The Dior obsession continued after I saw Carrie carrying (!) the exact bag on Sex and the City. It was only in frame for a few seconds but I paused my DVD to make sure. I was thrilled to see it get the Bradshaw seal of approval!

Created in 1999 by John Galliano who was, at the time, at the helm of Dior, it was a step change from the very ladylike and almost prim designs that the house was better known for. Dressing Lady Di through her sloane ranger era, the brand wasn't particularly cool then or as desirable as it is today, but Galliano's arrival shook the brands values to the core and rebranded this iconic house for a new generation. I have a couple of vintage Dior pieces and you wouldn't think they would possibly have been labelmates with the brash, outlandish and subversive designs displayed by Galliano, but it definitely put the house back into the pop culture scene and generated a buzz for it among young people again.

Despite the racism controversy that later surrounded Galliano and led to his eventual suspension from the house, his many collections for Dior are still held in high regard. This saddlebag was available in a whole host of colours and styles; there was a denim version, a Rasta version, a newsprint version and an oriental floral style, making this plain black leather one perhaps one of the most subdued. However this has also given it a longevity that defies its age; it isn't as dated as an outlandish colour would be, despite being unmistakable due to its design.

I still occasionally use this bag and it has worn well; it barely fits anything in it which is why it isn't used as frequently as it might be! I suppose it is 16 years old so I can consider it practically vintage now, too!

XO Amie