This time we’re guiding you through everything related to the Jackie from Gucci. How did it come to be and why does it look like it does? How do you style it and what materials does it come in? Read all about it below.

The birth and rise of the Jackie

The Jackie bag is famously named after Jackie Kennedy but did you know that it was originally called the Fifties Constance? Neither did we! The iconic Gucci bag was renamed after the former first lady of the United States after she was photographed shielding herself from the paparazzi using the bag in the 1970s. After this incident, the bag was quickly becoming synonymous with both the woman and later her name.  

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Since the bag was first designed, it’s been a classic. The sleek silhouette is perfect for both day and night and Jackie Kennedy wasn’t the first or the last celebrity to sport the Gucci icon. Today you’ll see it on the arms of everyone from Kaia Gerber to Harry Styles.

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The inspiration behind the icon

The Jackie has a hobo-style silhouette and a piston-shaped closure which made it stand out from many of the other ‘it’ bags of the moment. They were all more structured whereas the Jackie signals a more effortless elegance which later came to define the 1970s. The bag has no obvious logos – unless you buy one in the ‘GG’ Supreme print of course – meaning it’s only identifiable to those in the know.

First designed  in the 1950s, the Jackie was brought back into the runway first by Tom Ford – creative director of Gucci from 1994 to 2004 – in 1999 and later Frida Giannini – creative director of Gucci from 2006 to 2014 – in 2009. It was brought back once more in a campaign featuring Kate Moss in 2014 where the supermodel was shielding herself from the paparazzi just like Jackie Kennedy had done before her. 

The design of the bag hasn’t changed much since its inception – why change something that works? – with the exception of the lock on the front. This change was made by Tom Ford who replaced the signature piston lock with a geometric-shaped buckle. This was changed back by Frida Giannini when she presented the NEw Jackie and later the Jackie Soft.

Alessandro Michele – creative director of Gucci from 2015 to 2023 – also gave the Jackie 1961 his magic touch for the Fall/Winter 2020 collection. The bag was originally made in a plethora of floral prints as well as the signature ‘GG’ Supreme print but Alessandro Michele decided to revisit the classic in sleek and smooth leather finishes. 

By adding a removable shoulder strap,the already versatile bag was made even more so, and the wearable nature of the model was the highlight of the brand’s 2023 campaign with Dakota Johnsonn as the new face of the bag.The actress is shown in a series of “candid” moments all around LA – grabbing coffee, heading to yoga, shopping, the Jackie never leaving her side.This, similarly to Kate Moss’ campaign, is another call-back to how the former First Lady’s love for the piece was well-documented by noisy paps.

Measurements

The latest iteration of the bag is available in three sizes - Mini, Small and Medium. Older versions of the bag did not have a unified size chart and for some of the re-designs a Large or XL model was introduced but today we will just be covering the three most popular ones.

Medium

The Gucci Jackie Medium is the largest of the Jackie bags, at 35.5cm wide, 25cm tall, and a depth of 4.5cm, it can fit quite a bit of your everyday essentials – phone,keys,wallet, perhaps even a small notebook and some makeup for touching up throughout the day. It has a handle drop of 18cm and an adjustable shoulder strap with a drop of 17.5cm- 52cm, so it can be worn as a crossbody or shoulder bag.

Small

The Gucci Jackie Small is in between the mini and medium size. It is 27.5cm wide,19 cm tall, and a depth of 3.5cm, like the Medium it has a handle drop of 18cm and an adjustable shoulder strap with a drop of 17.5cm- 52cm.

Mini

The Gucci Jackie Mini is the tiniest of the Jackie bags, at 7.5-inches wide, 13cm tall, and a depth of 3cm.

Despite its small size it can still fit your keys, wallet and phone so it’s no less wearable than its larger counterparts. The Mini has a handle drop of 10cm and an even longer adjustable shoulder strap with a drop of 58cm.

Materials

Today you can find the Jackie in a variety of materials from classic leather to an everyday-friendly GG supreme canvas and more exotic choices.

The Jackie is also available in the romantic Flora print, created in honor of Grace of Monaco and is an especially lovely choice for the warmer seasons.

When it comes to more exotic skins, Gucci has introduced the Jackie in python,lizard, crocodile and even ostrich leathers which raised a few eyebrows from animal rights activists.

With a little bit of luck you can also find the iconic bag in suede, which was a more popular material choice in the past. 

As second-hand lovers ourselves we suggest you try finding one of the older versions if you like a more special,vintage feel to your Jackie.

Hardware

The Jackie we know today is available in either gold-toned or silver-toned hardware and those have been the most popular choices in the past. It is worth noting that there are a few vintage models that can be found with brass hardware.

The clasp

As we mentioned before, during its many re-imaginings the lock of the bag also went through its fair share of transformations.

The piston clasp is, apart from the half-moon shape of the bag itself, its most defining and recognizable feature and its the clasp Alessandro Michelle decided on for the latest version of the bag.

Tom Ford introduced a geometric push-lock style, now known as the “vintage piston” (top right-hand photo).

The so-called “Lobster” and “Cross-clasp” are much rarer features and can only be found on older models(top left-hand corner and bottom right-hand corner).

What can you use it for? 

Depending on what size and color you decide on, the Jackie is an endlessly versatile bag, fitting seamlessly in just about any occasion. The elegant half-crescent shape of the bag makes it the perfect understated choice for day and night. 

A medium or small Jackie in one of the pastel leather or “Flora” prints will surely get much use during your daytime outings.

You can also take a page out of Jackie O’s book and wear it to the airport and to vacation – unlike Jackie, we also have the adjustable shoulder strap to help us turn the bag into a hands free crossbody, perfectly marrying function and style!

For a night on the town, a Mini version of the Jackie would be the best choice, especially if you chose a more unique design, like the crocodile or python print a la Dakota Johnson.

Care

After you finally find the perfect Jackie, you will need to take care of cleaning and storing it properly. Below we have compiled some tips on how to do so, depending on the material – although some steps are required no matter the material of the bag. For example, we recommend stuffing your bag to help it retain its shape, as well as storing it in a dustbag when not in use (a cotton pillowcase can work as well.)

Leather

You want to start by using a soft, dry cloth to clean the bag, this is a simple step that doesn't take much time so we suggest you do this daily. Although Gucci uses high-quality leathers, from time to time, you will want to give your bag some love with a leather conditioner. Conditioning your bag keeps it from drying out and developing cracks, if you have a pre-loved piece with some dry or cracked areas focus on those, but keep your touch light and use circular motions. Always make sure to read the instructions on your leather conditioner before diving in.

Exotic skin

Taking care of an exotic skin bag can seem a little scary, after all the materials are more delicate so for a deep cleaning and getting rid of stains we would recommend you seek out a professional. 

Lizard, python and ostrich skins are all by nature textured and on the drier side compared to other leathers so they will need more frequent conditioning. Just like with any other material, the bags should be cleaned daily but gently, using a soft cloth or microfiber brush.

Suede

When it comes to suede bags the process is a bit different. The material is soft and velvety to the touch but to keep it that way, it needs maintaining. After use, we suggest you take a suede brush to lightly brush off any dirt or dust from the bag otherwise the suede might harden. Next you will want to take soft cloth and dampen it with rubbing alcohol or vinegar and gently wipe the surface. Once you are finished you can leave it to dry. For small stains you can use an eraser and gently rub it off, you won't even need to invest in a special one, just a plain pencil eraser will work!

While we understand you might want to get the most use out of your bag we would recommend you don’t wear it out in extreme conditions like snow or heavy rain.