Mark Cross

For lovers of old-world structure, many say yes. The Grace box bag is admired for its materials and its 1950s movie-star polish, and against comparable heritage labels it is often called good value. The honest counterpoint is that its structured shape is firm rather than slouchy, so it suits someone who wants a polished statement bag, not a casual everyday tote.

It is the moment that made the brand iconic. Gerald Murphy's friendship with Alfred Hitchcock led him to design an overnight case for Grace Kelly's character in the 1954 film Rear Window, an early example of product placement in film. That on-screen case is the lineage behind the Grace bag still sold today.

American heritage leather and one very famous bag. Mark Cross is an American luxury leather-goods brand, and its renown is tied to the overnight case Gerald Murphy designed for Grace Kelly in Rear Window. That cinematic moment anchors the brand's identity as a maker of structured, classic leather pieces.

It is one of America's oldest luxury houses. Mark Cross opened its doors in Boston in 1845, starting as a bridle, harness and saddle maker before shifting to luxury leather goods, and it eventually moved its headquarters to New York. That mid-19th-century origin gives it genuine American heritage.

He was the brand's most storied leader. Gerald Murphy took over as company president in 1934 after years living abroad; before that, he and his wife Sara were wealthy expatriates at Cap d'Antibes who formed friendships with many artists and writers of the Lost Generation. It was Murphy who designed the Rear Window case.

Today they are made in Italy. After a relaunch in 2011, Mark Cross manufactures its products in the same Italian factories the company had used over forty years earlier, reconnecting the modern line to its older craftsmanship. That continuity is part of the brand's pitch.

It changed hands early and grew from there. Soon after opening, employee Patrick Murphy purchased Mark Cross and expanded the offering into luxury leather goods, and his son Gerald later took the reins. The Murphy family's stewardship is woven through the brand's most important decades.

It had at least one unusual detour. Gerald Murphy's friendship with Lee Iacocca led to Mark Cross branding being used on 1980s Chrysler cars equipped with leather upholstery, a curious crossover for a heritage leather house. It is a fun footnote in the brand's long history.

It went through a turbulent stretch before its revival. After the Murphys sold the business, Mark Cross passed through a succession of owners until it was shut down in the late 1990s by its then-owner Sara Lee. It was purchased by Neal J. Fox and relaunched in 2011, returning to the same Italian factories.

It can be, with the usual caveats. The brand's heritage and the enduring Grace silhouette give it lasting recognition, and classic shapes tend to age more gracefully than trend pieces. Buy a timeless color and care for the leather, and a Mark Cross bag is the kind of structured classic you keep for years rather than seasons.

Treat the leather and the shape with respect. Keep it stuffed when stored so the box silhouette holds, store it in its dust bag away from heat and damp, and wipe it with a soft dry cloth, conditioning the leather occasionally with a suitable product. Avoid overloading a structured bag, which strains the seams and frame over time.