Is this the new designer ‘It’ bag of the summer?

When it comes to fashionable status symbols, the It bag is surely the ultimate piece.From the Baguette to the Birkin, designer must-have bags have long dominated the fashion scene, swinging from the arms of celebrities and editors alike and garnering waiting lists the scale of which are only rivaled by that of the often hefty price tags.

A concept introduced in the 1970s by Hermès, when it renamed the Sac à Courroies the Kelly (after Princess Grace, of course) the It bag hit a peak during the nineties and noughties.From Carrie Bradshaw to Kate Moss and Sienna Miller, anyone who was anyone toted an exclusive carry-all.Even Princess Diana was a fan of the It bag, often carrying a top-handled Lady Dior- it was even renamed the "Lady Di" for a time in her honour.

Whilst the norm-core, stealth wealth tastes of the mid noughtiessaw branded bags go out of style, recent years have seen a resurgence as once again fashions spotlight is cast on totes with exclusive appeal.Last year saw the reissued Dior Saddle become the undisputed bag of the summer as everyone from model Bella Hadid to fashion blogger Leandra Medine Cohen carried the updated noughties icon.This season the French fashion house is set to claim the It bag crown again with the launch of its new bag, the 30 Montaigne.

Released globally today, the shoulder bag comes in a chic palette of pastels as well as in Diors signature Oblique jacquard canvas.The name is in homage to the famous head offices of the fashion house which sits at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris.Whilst the elegant design and beautiful hand finish - which includes a reinterpretation of the CD logo on the clasp - give the style all the hallmarks of a modern classic, what will no doubt please many of the houses female customers is the practicality factor.Heres an It bag that you can actually fit things in - hurrah.

30 Montaigne in jacquard canvas, £2,300,Dior (dior.com)

“The inspiration [for 30 Montaigne] is a focus on functionality.A functionality that, mixed with a precise and clean aesthetic, has always fascinated me and continues to inspire me very much,”says creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, who says that the essential ingredient for a modern It bag is not just how it looks but also how it is used.

With roomy dimensions and an adjustable strap, Chiuri has certainly delivered on the utility front, explaining that the bag was “explicitly designed for women today, calibrated to their needs and desires, to their free and independent way of life.”

Of course Chiuris focus on the modern womans wardrobe requirements has defined her three year tenure at Dior.From T-shirts emblazoned with feminist slogans during the election of Donald Trump, to flat sandals and combat-esque trousers featured in the latest cruisecollection, Chiuri has time and again tapped into the contemporary zeitgeist and hit an aware and relevant sartorial tone.

And whilst the 30 Montaignes official launch this afternoon- complete with strategic influencer endorsement-will no doubt see it be an instant hit on social media (stand by your Instagram feeds), its the considered design and practicality-factor that gives Diors new bag true modern It status.