I've been dabbling in the mid luxury tier for a while now - Coach, Kate Spade, Songmont, Polene, Elleme, etc. are the brands I like the most - but now I'm thinking I'd like to save up and buy one proper luxury handbag - Prada, Chanel, Saint Laurent, etc. But there are so many choices out there and we know they're all overpriced because a significant percentage of the cost is for the brand and status. I understand that but I'm okay with it because I want just one luxury handbag to cherish and hopefully pass down to my kid in future. But with so many luxury brands and bags I don't know how to decide. What's the one handbag or brand I should go for?

Edit: btw I'm looking for something versatile that can function as an evening bag so nothing too big.

Hey y’all , what do you think about this guide?

Regardless of their price point, what brands do you think are the best "bang for their buck"? Bags that are pricey, but worth it? Undervalued, and a "steal"? Priced just right?

E.g. a $500 bag that feels like a $3000 > a high-status $5000 bag that should be a $1000

I want to buy myself my first luxury/designer bag as a treat, but I want to make sure it will be worth the $$$$ (I know high cost doesn’t always mean high quality). I would want a bag that I could use semi regularly (not too big not too small). What are your recommendations? Recs can be brands or specific styles within a brand. TIA ❤️

Edit: I would be saving for this purchase so cost isn’t really a factor, although I definitely will never have $25,000 handbag money lol

After years of buying cheap bags I have realized buying one expensive good quality bag is more worth the money and now my husband has more disposable income to afford it too... so which luxury brand has the most durable bags? I have seen people say either LV or gucci ... I have also heard of strathberry and mulberry ... some also say specific types of leather bags of the brand also factor into consideration on lasting longer.. any advice ?my budget is 2k.

Need some help. Wife and I have our 10 year anniversary coming up and I want to get her a designer bag. I’m all for her choosing it but I do want to pick a brand that’s actually durable. If anyone here could point me in the right direction that would be so helpful. I’m not worried about budget, just want her to be happy with her choice!

There's always a lot of talk about luxury brands having significally lowered their production standards, and as a result selling bags that are not as well-made as the name and price would suggest. I'm trying to learn more on how to discern quality in handbags, and I'm curious: which brands do you think produce high-quality bags as of now? And how do you personally judge quality? Is it the choice of leather? Stitching? Durability?

I really want a statement piece for myself to add to my collection - but I also want it to be recognisable and affordable. In my professions such displays of wealth help in creating a persona that you have money. Hence I want something that’s recognisable but also iconic so that it shows good taste and not just a logo stamped money thrown down the drain approach.

Anything you guys can suggest?

I want a high end bag, top quallity, but no logos and not super identifiable to the average person right away. Small, black, leather, Chanel quality or higher. What do you suggest?

Would love to know what luxury brands are your favourite and have maintained quality over the years. I’ve always loved my YSL and Fendi’s for quality and recently branched out to LV but have been absolutely put off by the amount of flaws/ poor materials /poorly made products I have been receiving (I’m not talking about Vintage, I know that LV use to have very good standards previously) Was hoping people can share which brands people have good experiences with that I can look into? I’ve heard Loewe and Bottega have excellent leather but haven’t had any experience with these brands myself yet.

I’m also open to hearing about less known brands, as I understand that they can have excellent quality leather also before they get bought up by a big conglomerates where they inflate costs but quality decreases.

Aside from heritage and prestige giving value for reselling- if it comes down to a well made piece of art with a luxury price multiplier that seems reasonable, then what bag would you choose? I see a lot of people praise Ferragamo and Mulberry.

I’ve wanted a Polene for a while, but after seeing so many poor reviews on here about the quality, I’ve decided to pass.

It’s frustrating to pay a lot for a bag, and then be disappointed when it wears out quickly! I appreciate a bag I can use for days on end, in all kinds of environments, occasionally stuff to the max and not break the zipper/strap/etc.

Which brands have you found have the highest quality?

Which brands have disappointed you?

My picks for best quality (still look brand new after lots of abuse), based off the limitations of my own collection:

• Prada

• Dooney & Bourke

Bags of good but not best quality (wearing very slowly, despite lots of use, but not looking “brand new”:

• Coach

• Tory Burch

• Rebecca Minkoff

Brands that have disappointed:

• Kate Spade’s leather bags have barely lasted a season for me (with moderate to low use), but bags in other materials look like new.

Looking for brands that are great but don’t hold their value so I can snatch them up on the resale market. Have had good luck with Ferragamo, Bally, and Tod’s.

If the price tag is unlimited, which brand do you think is of the highest quality? I want to save up to invest in a handbag and i want it to look like quality and be durable.

Almost like an IYKYK bag. Looking for a variety of price options from maybe $200 to $3000. Thanks!

I recently ran across this video on YouTube about how many items that are sold as "Luxury" by big design houses like Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, etc. often just attach their brand/logo to very low quality items that 'actually wealthy people,' don't buy. The REAL interesting part of this video is when they start talking about the concept of "Stealth Wealth."

For example: Mark Zuckerberg wears those plain gray featureless T-shirts with no logo... but actually... they are custom made Brunello Cucinelli T-shirts that costs $400 ea. The video also talks about some $625 cashmere baseball cap that has no logo or defining feature, but all of these items are apparently made to the highest quality standards. Wealthy people want to wear understated, minimal designs, but of the highest possible quality. I love this idea.

Why am I asking about this? My biggest hobby/passion is designing and making handbags. I love everything from over-the-shoulder bags and messenger bags, to really unique designs that I come up with. However... my biggest problem is... when I run dry on inspiration, I don't know where to look for top-of-the-line quality bags/belts/wallets to find inspiration. Where can I find out what luxury bags are legitimately considered to be Luxury bags?

Note: Clearly this is a nuanced topic. I imagine many of you will want to comment that [DESIGNER BRAND XYZ] is not garbage! Or you might point out that Hermes actually hand makes their Birkin bags in Paris! All this may be the case. I hope you will see that I'm really only interested in finding the best, most luxurious leather bag brands. I'm clearly not an expert in the designer brands market. Thank you for reading this long post!! 😊

I am trying to expand my bag collection and I had a conflicting experience recently. I have been eyeing a Gucci Jackie for a while and went to the store in Chicago to compare sizes. And to my surprise, I was actually very disappointed.

I thought with the brand and the price tag that the leather would feel supple and pillowy. But it didn’t feel good to me. It felt like a hard shell of plastic.

From that, I have been rethinking my purchases and what I want to experience with them. For reference, I have a vintage 90s Coach Ergo bag that is fabulous. It’s well made, the leather has aged well but it feels “expensive” to me.

What bag/brand can give me the same feeling that I experience with my Ergo? Should I just look into different fabrics? Should I stick to vintage for the price tag and expected better quality?

Of course we all know that Hermes has handmade bags, Polene is the dark horse, Bottega and Loewe still handmake some aspects of their bags, and that Chanel quality has plummeted (hardware, machine made). My question is: What is your personal ranking of these major brands (and others ie Gucci, etc) from high to low?

This is just for fun! I’m curious where everyone stands for bags made in 2024. Mine is:

1. Hermes

2. Bottega

3. Loewe

4. Polene

5. Gucci

6. Chanel

7. Dior

Again, not based on style, only keeping QUALITY in mind!