2004 Was the Best Year for Bags

From Dior Saddles to rare, chunky Prada obsessions.

I know it, you know it. 2004 was the best year for bags. Maybe for music too. But in particular, this year in cultural history deeply thrills a part of my fashion loving soul. Feeds me, even. I could solely focus on just one brand that did incredibly iconic bags in 2004, but that would be pointless because there are so, so many enchanting objects that feed the fantasy of this hyper-specific era of 2004.

Admittedly, what got me thinking about this was Dior’s pre-fall 2024 collection which was just shown at the Brooklyn museum. Admist the sea of beige and black wearability were a couple of Saddle bags reminiscent of the early 2000s John Galliano bags that live on in a certain kind of epic fashion legacy. Dior is bringing back the newspaper Saddle bag (2001) as well as an American flag printed one (extremely camp). But I want to see more in the vein of Dior’s 2004 bags. They have always been some of my favorites, especially this tattoo style Saddle bag from 2004 I snagged pre-pandemic for an insane price.

The Dior tattoo bag. Which apparently costs $17,000 now.

Another all time favorite of mine are the Dior leopard print bowler bags with the oversized Dice charms from spring 2004. I have the classic brown and red colorway but I really want the pink and purple one. Galliano was inspired by the illustrative Vogue covers from the 1900s, Edwardian grandeur and the teddy boy subcultural pivot of the 1950s. But deep within that collection, colors and prints screamed with personality and esoteric references: Poiret! Punk! Elvis! Flappers!

Beyond the saddle: these are the other (also, more affordable!) designer bags from 2004 that still have a hold on me: