Rihanna's inbox was likely flooded with invites to Spring 2026 runway shows, but she RSVP'd "no" to each one. (She was busy giving birth to her first daughter, Rocki Irish Mayers.) Even so, her December 9 look proved Rihanna kept tabs on Spring 2026 accessory trends, especially single-strap handbags.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky treated their two oldest kids to an early Christmas present last night: a trip to Complete Playground in New York City. A Savage x Fenty sweatsuit would've been perfectly appropriate for a G-rated evening out. Instead, RiRi proved she's the coolest mom on the playground in head-to-toe designer. Before breaking down her 25-year-old Gucci handbag, let's give it up for her layers, beginning with a classic white T-shirt. She stacked it underneath a cropped fur coat, which seemed to mirror her Prada pick on Nov. 5.
Next, the Grammy winner dressed down her fur with charcoal gray-colored cargo pants. Each elongated, wide-leg hem barely revealed the pointy black pumps underneath. Perhaps she opted out of sneakers (her usual street style shoes) to complement her patent leather purse.
Rihanna's outfit—no matter the occasion—feels incomplete without a rare handbag. (Extra points if it has an interesting backstory.) This time, she debuted a single-strap shoulder bag from Gucci's Fall 1999 collection.
You may recognize its acrylic lucite ring from then-creative director Tom Ford's catwalk. Maggie Rizer modeled the bucket-cinch tote alongside silk trousers and a shearling cut-out coat. Every element—from the genuine python exterior to the silver metal rings—looked brand new on Rihanna's arm. (The same style is listed on 1stDibs for $2,995.)
Like many fashion girls, collecting Gucci by Tom Ford designs is one of Rihanna's favorite hobbies. She owns over five purses—in fur, leather, and python—from Ford's 14-year reign at Gucci. Before Tuesday, however, she hadn't publicly worn once since August, when she pulled her 28-year-old snakeskin Spring 1996 tote out of retirement.
If it wasn't for Getty Images, you might think Rihanna's purse came straight from a Spring 2026 catalog. (After all, Alaïa and Balenciaga have loaned RiRi and her stylist, Jahleel Weaver, fresh-off-the-runway selects.) Similar one-strap, pickpocket-friendly handbags—as fashion features editor Emma Childs coined them—dominated the recent runway circuit. Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Loewe, Tod's, and more knighted the silhouette as the season's It-bag.
What's more, purses with the same bucket-ish body appeared in single-strap form. Here, see cinch-top closure bags from Miu Miu, Zimmermann, and even Hermès.
Not all of us have the thrifting gods' support like Rihanna, so tracking down a 25-year-old Gucci bag isn't guaranteed. Luckily for you, the Spring 2026 circuit ensured single-strap purses are widely available. Shop a curated edit of Marie Claire-approved pieces, below.
