A Detailed Review of My Gucci Luce Shoulder Bag

Gucci Ancora, the brand’s Spring 2024 collection, marks a new chapter for the House of Gucci. Designed by Sabato De Sarno, Gucci’s new creative director, Ancora is undeniably different from the Gucci fans were used to under De Sarno’s predecessor, but in a really good way. It is fresh while still offering up an air of classic Gucci.

Disclosure: This Gucci Luce was gifted to our editor by Gucci.

When it comes to the bags, there is an undeniable element of modernity, with a touch of classic appeal. Debuting with Gucci Ancora this season and first seen on the Spring/Summer 2024 runway, the Gucci Luce Bag is one of the first new bag designs under Sabato De Sarno’s reign.

The Luce refreshes a House classic: GG Supreme, offering a chic, elevated feel. Luce, which translates to light in Italian, is also the name of Sabato’s dachshund—a tidbit that makes me love this bag even more, but it’s certainly not the only reason I adore it. This is the first Gucci bag I’ve owned in a few years, and I cannot get enough. Full details are below!

Aesthetics

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review Gucci Luce Bag

The moment the first bags of Ancora hit the runway, I knew that Gucci through Sabato De Sarno’s lens was the Gucci for me. I love the combination of contemporary meets vintage, and the Luce Shoulder bag oozes that exact appeal.

Many of us worry about buying a bag that will quickly feel dated or easily be tied to a specific time in fashion. However, that is a non-issue with the Luce, which has that archival touch, allowing the shape to feel timeless even though it is entirely new.

Speaking of the archives, the GG canvas is one of the House’s most important motifs, and the long baguette-like body of the Luce perfectly complements the storied pattern. While there are two color options offering the classic Gucci vibe, I prefer the beige and brown canvas trimmed with dark chocolate brown leather to the navy version.

What I love about a logo bag is that it’s a statement maker all on its own, but I also love that it can easily be dressed up or dressed down, and the Luce bag can do both. I’ve already worn this bag for both day and night, and I love the look, no matter how styled.

Usability + Functionality

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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The Luce comes in two sizes—small and medium, with my version being the smaller size (and the size that’s really just right for me.) I’ve often said how I’ve pared down what I carry out and about over the last decade or so, and that hasn’t changed.

I need enough room for a small wallet or card case, my phone, sunglasses, a couple of lip balms, headphones, and keys. The bag’s interior offers plenty of space for my needs, and its elongated shape makes it fairly versatile in what you can carry, depending on how you organize your things.

There’s also an interior zipped pocket, which, truthfully, I’d only use for thin items like a coat check ticket or business cards (truthfully, a chapstick or something else of the sort is too bulky to sit in the pocket).

The Luce bag sits really nicely on the shoulder and doesn’t slide around at all, thanks to the fabric green and red Gucci Web shoulder strap. While I find this bag fairly useable, it’s not one of those bags you can easily get in and out of on the go, which is why it only gets 3 stars from me.

The turn-lock flap opens and closes easily enough, but it is difficult to do while on the shoulder, which is something to be mindful of.

Quality + Construction

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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My job allows me to see, touch, feel, and even use a lot (and I mean A LOT) of bags, and Gucci’s quality is truly top-notch. The beige and ebony GG canvas is created on a loom, and when you look closely, you can see intricacies within the Monogram.

Trimmed in dark brown leather with a very slight sheen, each stitch is perfectly finished, and I don’t have a complaint about the bag’s quality. However, I did tick off a half star as the bag is made of fabric, naturally making it more delicate.

As I mentioned above, this is the first Gucci bag I’ve owned in quite a while, with my last two being from previous designers, and while Gucci itself has changed drastically, its attention to detail and craft has remained.

Price + Value

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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Regarding price, it’s becoming an increasingly difficult category to rate. Designer bag prices continue to rise, becoming almost astronomical, making it hard to make sense of.

While this bag is beautiful, there’s no doubt about that; it’s priced just above the $3K mark for the small, clocking in at $3,200, which some may argue is a bit steep for a fabric bag.

Still, the overall quality warrants its designer price tag, and because it’s a runway bag, I also think the price point is a bit more justifiable. Considering the cost per wear (and I truly think this bag can be worn a ton), the Luce holds a lot of value.

Long-Term Relevance

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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This bag is one of those rare bags that instantly feels like a classic, and that’s in large part thanks to its GG Supreme Canvas body. Besides its classic monogram print, there’s also the Gucci Web shoulder strap, which adds to the bag’s truly timeless appeal.

However, this bag is still a new shape entirely for the House and also one of Sabato’s first designs for Gucci, which makes it hard to give the Luce a full 5 stars, though truthfully, I really wanted to because it does instantly feel like it will remain a classic Gucci bag.


Overall Rating

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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I was immediately smitten with the Gucci Luce Shoulder bag the minute it hit the runway (along with the entirety of the Ancora collection), and I love that it marks this new era of Gucci.

There is something that feels special to me about owning not only one of Sabato De Sarno’s debut shapes for Gucci but also a bag that feels like I’m holding a part of Gucci’s history in my hands.

Offering that ideal balance of modern yet classic, with a timeless appeal that will remain regardless of the brand’s direction, the Gucci Luce is a bag that will quickly become a beloved addition to your collection.