Most Popular Designer Bags Of All Time

Every season, new handbag trends find their way into the street style world, and we can't wait to anxiously scout them. Right now, the super-tiny handbags that appear too small to accommodate even a tube of lipstick are some of the highly unusual style accessories that will instantly spice up your look.

They're stylish and have the support of major street-style celebrities. But sometimes it's the best designer bags that you just can't pass up because they're exactly that—classic.

If you're not sure which luxury item to invest in, explore the best designer bags of all time in this article.

It's an easy task to gain such a designation. And while many come with a hefty price tag, they're well worth the investment and deserve a place in your collection.

1. LV Speedy

The LV Speedy is ranked first on our list of the best designer handbags as it has had a look that's been popular for 90 years. This bag debuted in 1930 as the Express, a name designed to indicate convenience.

It constituted a dramatic departure for a brand best known for steamer trunks and hard-sided luggage at the time. The Speedy, which was made of LV monogram canvas, was a soft-sided, 30-centimeter satchel with a silhouette that looked like a hybrid between a doctor's bag and a duffel.

It included a top zip closure, two rolled handles, piping, and a zipper pull made of vachetta. The raw Italian leather was an LV design hallmark back then and still is.

Later, when women sought reasons to purchase more than one Speedy or to have their favourite style customized, variations emerged. LV has been adding a three-piece, adjustable, removable strap to the Speedy since 2011. Then it's transformed into a Speedy Bandoulière, which can be worn as a cross-body or shoulder bag.

2. The Hermes Kelly

The popular Hermès Kelly existed long before the Hermès Birkin. The bag was based on the Sac à Courroies, which Hermès marketed to transport saddles, and was designed in 1935 by Robert Dumas. Robert was a member of the family that currently owns Hermès.

Dumas utilized a trapezoid shape, added a sturdy handle, and preserved the flap with pull straps. He then closed it with a turn-lock that came with a miniature padlock and key to transform it into a genuine purse.

Grace Kelly picked one up while filming To Catch a Thief in 1954. When she became Princess Grace of Monaco in 1956, she began using it to conceal her pregnant belly from the press. This prompted the ladies to phone Hermès and request the much-photographed "Kelly bag."

The Kelly is still Hermès' most intricate model. And it is exclusively handcrafted in France by a single craftsman. He spends between 20 and 25 hours hand-sewing, clamping, gluing, gumming, and buffing its 36 pieces of leather.

3. Chanel Classic Flap

The Classic Flap was created by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel to be hands-free, which was a new notion when it debuted in February 1955. She suspended the bag from a long metal chain, using the quilted leather that would become a design hallmark. This was so it could be worn over a woman's shoulder, or, with the chain doubled, in the crook of her arm.

It also included an open pocket on the back, a turn-lock clasp, a burgundy lining, and a zipped inner pocket. Though it wasn't until the 1980s that Lagerfeld had the idea to transform the turn-lock into a branding opportunity. This was done by adding the Chanel's double-C emblem. (The designation 2.55, which alludes to the style's initial date, refers to a Classic Flap that lacks the double-C turn-lock.)

4. Hermès Birkin

Once upon a time, on a journey from Paris to London, English actress Jane Birkin, happened to be seated next to Hermès owner Jean-Louis Dumas. She is famous in France for her years with singer and writer Serge Gainsbourg

The Birkin was carrying a wicker basket everywhere at the time, stating she couldn't find a weekend bag she loved. When her wicker bag wouldn't fit in an overhead bin and its contents spilled, she and her seatmate spent the remainder of the trip talking about handbags. They ended up drawing their ideas on the back of an airsick bag.

Dumas presented her with the results of their work in 1986. But it wasn't until the 1990s that Birkin fever erupted. This resulted in five-year waiting lists, innumerable counterfeits, and a secondary market in which Birkins outperformed blue-chip stocks.

Despite the fact that phones and inboxes are bombarded with special offers and influencer photographs, Hermès manages to retain its mystery and remains one of the top luxury purses with no advertising.

5. Louis Vuitton Neverfull

When the Tote Luxury Handbags first appeared in 2007, it seemed that they had been around for a long time. The Neverfull, which was larger and lighter than the Speedy, featured a characteristic trapezoid form. And it was produced on the canvas that Louis Vuitton had been using since 1896.

The appropriately titled Neverfull GM size (with a 15.7-inch opening) is popular as both a gym tote and a diaper bag. But LV presently offers dozens more Neverfull choices. Including personalization with Goyard-style stripes and monograms, stickers, and coloured canvas or leather.

6. Prada Nylon Re-Edition

Call it a resurgence of the 1990s. Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, have both been pictured wearing a Prada Re-Edition on their arm. They were not even born when Prada's Saffiano-trimmed nylon became fashionable. That tough luggage-grade nylon is back in this "It Bag," which appears so similar to previous Prada versions that it's hard to discern old from new—even in a side-by-side comparison.

That means if you have a Prada original sitting beneath a dust bag in the back of your wardrobe, you're already set. If you missed out the first time, you can catch up with a vintage model purchased on the secondary market or one straight from Prada. Prada is producing them in a variety of colours to stimulate match-my-outfit collecting sprees.

7. Dior Book Tote

The other brand that shows no slowing down, is the bag with a designer brand name spelled out in bold capital letters. This is similar to Celine, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Chanel, and pretty much every other store that sells accessories.

However, Dior's Book Tote now tops the list due to a fabric selection that includes animal prints, exotics, camouflage, and brand fabrics. As well as patterns that are clever nods to the house's legacy, such as cannage.(A kind of quilting that looks like chair caning) and houndstooth (the favourite of founder Christian Dior).

8. Bottega Veneta

Consider this luxury handbag to be a drawstring purse, but without the drawstring. Or a big, floppy clutch that's difficult to handle. Nobody buys the Pouch for practical reasons, but its puckery, squishy form is all over social media, and is required gear for fashion editors.

The Pouch, Bottega Veneta's first big hit from British-born design director Daniel Lee, was introduced in the spring of 2019. It is 40 centimetres wide, has a single-compartment interior, a top that snaps shut with a magnetic closure, and has no handle or strap. It makes finding anything in your purse a two-handed operation. (Imagine Coco Chanel spinning in her tomb.)

Still, the Pouch is alluring, especially since Bottega Veneta offers it in so many different colours. This includes a wild blue metallic and Sponge, a loopy, hand-knit Nappa that generates a handbag that looks like a lapdog.

9. Dior Saddle Bag

The Saddle Bag is bigger than ever and a favourite in early 2000s when Jessica Parker wore one as Carrie during Season 3 of Sex and the City. Then, because it was no longer available from Dior, it faded into oblivion for a decade or so—until Beyoncé grabbed one out of her wardrobe and began wearing it everywhere.

Cut to the second part of 2018, when Dior officially reintroduced the design through loans to influencers and celebrities, backed up by a massive social media blitz.

10. LV Pochette Metis

Don't even think of trying to acquire these premium purses from the website. It always states: “This highly wanted model has very limited availability. Please return later.” Nonetheless, everyone who's anybody appears to own a Pochette Metis. It's a 10-inch wide flap bag with three internal compartments and a gold-tone lock that resembles the locks on vintage LV steamer trunks.

The Pochette Metis, which is usually done in LV monogram canvas with vachetta trim and gold-tone hardware, includes an alternative strap. The strap allows it to be used as a shoulder or cross-body bag.

11. Chanel's 11.2 Bag

Chanel's 11.2 bag, often known as the Chanel Classic Flap Bag (designed in 1982 upon Karl Lagerfeld's arrival), is a true classic.

The 11.12 is based on Coco Chanel's 2.55 design. And it's distinguished by its gold chain, diamond quilting, double flap, and 'CC' clasp. These combine to produce a superbly functional yet gorgeous purse.

We're not surprised that its popularity has re-surged in the last year, as Chanel raised its price, making it as pricey as a Birkin bag, raising its resale value.

12. Lady Dior Bag By Christian Dior

The Lady Dior was developed in 1994 with the express intention of becoming a classic, and it was mostly successful owing to Princess Diana.

It was given its present name in 1996 as an homage to the princess. She was known as Lady Diana Spencer before her marriage — after she fell in love with it. It was originally titled chouchou (French for 'favourite'). For years, she carried it out dutifully.

While previous patent leather models remain popular, we've discovered that the redesigned D-Lite Lady Dior fetches the true premium. The upgrade offers the bag a more modern appearance, but it still beats both the new Book Tote and the Saddle Bag on the resale market.

The older lambskin and patent leather variants are around half the price of the original retail price. The updated D-lite resells for up to 70% of the original retail price.

13. Hermès' 'Kelly' Bag

Yes, you may expect to find the legendary Hermès Birkin on our list, and you'd be right. However, we believe French fashion house Kelly Style is the ultimate designer bag.

The Kelly hasn't had nearly the same amount of overexposure as its label-mate. So its more subtle design and cleaner lines seem as fresh now as they did in the 1930s, when it was initially made.

It was nicknamed the Kelly in honour of Grace Kelly. After a lifelong devotee of the design who famously wore it to conceal her first pregnancy. This was from the ever-present paparazzi, and it now resells for 100-200 percent of its original worth.

When it comes to scarcity, exclusivity, and desire, the Hermes Kelly and Birkin bags remain the Holy Grail. Due to the difficulties of purchasing these bags in-store, even entry-level versions often resell for exorbitant prices on the resale market. Sometimes at multiples of the original retail price.

14. Loewe Puzzle

The Loewe Puzzle is among the best designer handbags to buy. This is because of its classic and high-quality design, which features calf leather as the major production component. The removable and adjustable shoulder strap ensures a comfortable fit while you're out and about. And this bag also has a top handle for added convenience during everyday use.

Though this premium handbag shines in everyday usage, there isn't much space inside to accommodate daily items. Also, this is a relatively pricey designer handbag, yet its worth does sustain and improve year after year. On that topic, you might want to think about buying a less expensive edition of one of the finest commuter bags that is packed with convenience-enhancing features.

15. Fendi Peekaboo Iconic

This Fendi Peekaboo Iconic Designer Handbag is an excellent choice for people seeking a high-quality handbag that is both useful and likely to appreciate in value. This Peekaboo bag is composed of excellent black calf leather on the outside and lamb leather on the inside. It also comes with a firm barrier running across the inside to separate the sections. We particularly liked the adjustable and detachable shoulder strap, which made it easier to use on a regular basis.

This is a very costly handbag, yet it should retain or rise in value over time. Furthermore, due to the calf leather, this is a somewhat fragile bag that does not come with a protective case. Students can select bags constructed of strong and long-lasting materials, such as the finest college backpacks.

16. Dolce & Gabbana Devotion

This D&G Devotion handbag is an exceptionally unusual and attractive design. It comes with a green-dyed Nappa-braided leather exterior with a huge heart pendant sitting towards the middle. We liked how this bag's form factor allows it to be used as both a shoulder bag and a side bag depending on how you utilize the movable shoulder strap. This luxury handbag also comes with a dust bag, which is a great extra.

Though this is a comfy purse, it is only available in one size, so check the fine print before purchasing. Furthermore, this is a somewhat pricey item, yet the recognized fashion name should allow it to retain or rise in value. The greatest beach bag is a considerably less expensive purchase for your beach visits.

17. Chanel Classic Chevron

This Chanel Classic Chevron Lambskin Designer Handbag is an excellent choice for anyone seeking an investment item. This is as it comes with a convenient authenticity card to guarantee its authenticity when the time comes to sell. This is also a fantastic handbag, owing to its leather construction and the presence of the classic and eye-catching Chanel insignia on the exterior. We particularly loved the adjustable handle and strap, which provided some adaptability.

This is an extraordinarily pricey designer Chanel handbag, but its worth should rise as the years pass. Also, this bag is only available in one size, so make sure you measure yourself before you hit the buy button. When shopping for the finest travel bag, be sure it fulfils airline size requirements for carry-on luggage.

18. JW Anderson Pierce

This shoulder bag made by JW Anderson Pierce is reasonably priced while providing a classic style that should appreciate in value in the months and years ahead.

We adored the eye-catching and distinctive design, which had a slew of gold hoops and an adjustable shoulder strap. Depending on personal desire, this shoulder strap can be changed to allow the bag to act as a handbag or a shoulder bag.

Though suitable for everyday use, this purse is only available in one size, so be careful to check the measurements before purchasing. Furthermore, this bag does not come with a protective dust cover, which is a mistake.

Conclusion

Designer handbags are frequently developed and produced by well-known and legendary fashion industry figures. This helps to preserve and improve the bag's worth over time. If you want to buy a designer handbag as a personal investment, seek one that comes with a certificate of authenticity, so you can readily verify the item's validity later.