Almost every girl dreams of owning a designer bag like her favorite celebs. Designer bags are both luxury items and a functional handbag, and depending on the brand and style, the cost can vary significantly. If you’re thinking about finally making that big splurge, you should put a lot of thought into it. Purchasing an investment-grade quality of material and craftsmanship could end up helping you make money in the end.
When you’re ready to buy a designer bag, you should look at it as an investment in the same way you may one day invest in artwork, mutual funds, and stocks. As long as you fully understand the value of the purse you want, it could end up being one of the best investments you could make. Research is key!
Below are the types of investment-grade purses that could make you both rich and well-balanced in your objet d’ art. These purses are in order of importance and we go over why these brands are so valuable and so worth your money:
The Top Three…
- Birkin Bags
We start our list with the Birkin bags by Hermes. Hermes, a singular fashion company, invests in quality over quantity. It is this precise focus on only producing small amounts of high-quality products that make Hermes and its bags so important to the investment world. Birkin bags retain almost all of their resale value since there are so few of them. Their durability also makes their resale value better because they don’t wear down as fast.
Birkin bags are made out of the fat rectangle shape and have the iconic flap, strap, and bolt closure. These closures are recognized a mile away by the aficionado. While the bags themselves are often tote-size, their handles are small, stable and round, and they can only be worn over the arm. This is a good thing because you will want to show it off in plain view if you have one. Their value sells and resells well over $10,000. Their bulky shape and elegant, feminine details make them a stable bag to own as an investment.
- Chanel Purses
Chanel is, of course, in our top three luxury investment purses to own. Chanel is the epitome of classic, elegant, feminine style. The gold, double-C clasps, the quilted leather, and the leather-and-gold braided handle are all icons of Chanel. Today, every Chanel purse retains its value in the high double digits upon resale. When you want to complement your portfolio of purses, you must have four (or eight) of these bags.
The legendary, classic flap bag from Chanel is still one of the most popular purses in the world. The light, boxy, ergonomic design make it easy to carry, easy to handle, and tough to wear down. Your investments should always include at least one Chanel purse from the classic flap bag line.
- Kusama Pumpkin Clutches
We couldn’t have a top three of investment-grade purses without including the clutch purses from Kusama. The Museum of Modern Art carries Kusama pumpkin clutches in its store for hundreds of dollars. You know you’re a work of art if you’ve been upgraded to museum-quality care.
The gold etching, the apple-shape, and the high-end hardware make these bags some of the most extraordinary and beautiful purses of our day. Their worth can scale up into the hundreds of thousands and their rarity is increasing daily. This rarity is particularly true for the luxury bags with gold detailing and hard metal bodies. These bags are truly one-of-a-kind.
…And the Rest
- Celine Crossbody Bags
The highly functional crossbody bags from Celine are truly marvels of nature. They have wide pockets and boxy, reinforced corners. Their functionality is off the scale. The high-quality leather and swanky, curved, short handles are hallmarks of this brand and this bag. Their usability is for the modern woman on the go who can afford to wear down a classic like this.
The reinforced corners and strong leather components are what make Celine crossbody purses so friendly to the average investor. They wear down very slowly, making their resale value higher than if they had been a weaker version of themselves. If you travel a lot, get a Celine bag.
- Classic, Bamboo-Handled Gucci Bags
Gucci bags are typified by their strong, square shape and their iconic, bamboo handle. All Gucci bags are powerful, investment-grade purses, but the bamboo handle makes your bag that much more important. Luxury versions of this bag come with a special edition Jane Austen novel and the beautiful growling tiger of the Gucci brand. You can also invest in a basic black boxy purse which holds its value for many years after purchase, especially if cared for well and in good condition.
- Neverfull by Louis Vuitton
So many celebrities have been seen with the Neverfull tote bag from Louis Vuitton that it seems as if there will never be another mass-market luxury item like this again. As mass-market as it may seem, the Neverfull bags are so tough and so valuable years after purchase that they retain their value quite well in today’s market. So, if you do purchase a Louis Vuitton purse or handbag, know they are not only a coveted fashion accessory but an asset, an investment too.
Louis Vuitton tests their Neverfulls by filling them with heavy weights and dropping them from a great height. This legendary toughness makes the bag that much more popular and better known. Your own Neverfull purse may last through several generations of women before it will need to be replaced. That’s an heirloom worth keeping.
- Sac De Jour Nano by YSL
The Sac De Jour Nano bag is a versatile crossbody purse that comes in a wide variety of colors. Even though it has an understated design, this makes it that much more powerful when you wear it with high-end clothing or on the runway. Both models and celebrities have used this bag in its iconic range of colors and designs to spiff up their wardrobes. Yves Saint Laurent has made a cult classic with this piece. The investment you make in this bag will hold its value in the 70% range. That’s something to consider.
- Soufre Epsom Kelly Bag
Hermes decided to wow the world with another Birkin-style bag with the classic Hermes flap, strap, and lock closure. This purse is truly a handbag, being much smaller than traditional Birkins, and the lime green and lime yellow leather options are fantastic. This bright neon coloring makes the bag really pop. The red leather interior and boxy design make this bag seem like a secret within a secret.
This is one of the newest investment-grade purses on our list and yet it still holds its value very well. We like how fresh and understated it is for a bright pop of color.
- Saffiano Lux from Prada
Our last bag is a Prada bag. In classic Prada style, it carries an old-school Italian look and feel. The metal feet, handy straps, and range of understated French colors make this purse feel as if it came from Paris, instead of Milan. The blending of these two styles give this purse an authentic, international feel.
Saffiano Lux is a luxury option in and of itself, retailing for well over $2,000. You are guaranteed at least 50% of its original value on resale. The clean blues and dark greens make this purse worth spectacular levels of respect. Remember to always treat it with care.
Your investment in a high-quality purse is not just for your financial return if you were to pass it on. It is about your own personal style and whether it speaks to you as a person. Enjoy your shopping and invest well!
What is your dream bag? Let us know in the comments below!
