Forget the Birkin and the classic Chanel – these are the new It bags and how to get the look for less
Last week it was reported that Hermès is facing a lawsuit based on claims that it only allows customers with a “sufficient purchasing history” with the brand to purchase its iconic Birkin bags.
But this won’t bother fashion insiders. Since even Joe Bloggs knows what a Birkin is, there is real fashion kudos in wearing something whose status is known only to those who are “in the know.” That’s why some members of the fashion elite now favor lesser-known trophy bags.
Here’s our guide for those who covet them, plus the High Street’s best imitations, in case your budget doesn’t quite stretch to four-figure arm candy.
Rare raffia
Every summer, every clichéd fashion worshiper takes out his Loewe basket. Fashion insiders will be reaching for something different this summer, though: Khaite’s leather-trimmed raffia bag. Too bad about the hefty price tag. But there is a price to pay for the brand whose knitted bra ‘broke the internet’ when Katie Holmes wore it in 2019.
LR: Designer £1,680. Khaite Lotus, net porter. com; High Street £108. Bucket bag, anthropologie.com
If you’re not ready to part with £1,680 for raffia, Anthropologie has a similar offer that’s much cheaper at £108.
An all-in-one tote bag
Do you hear the words ‘everyday tote’ and your thoughts go to the free canvas tote bag in the back of your kitchen cupboard? Needless to say, the fashion elite have a slightly different approach. Hello, The Row’s Margaux bag.
Jennifer Lawrence carries The Row’s ‘Margaux’ bag
LR: Designer £4,720. Margaux, therow.com; High Street £49.99. Shopper, mango.com
Hailing from the Olsen twins’ luxury fashion house, the bag has been called an “heirloom in the making” by Vogue, with a plethora of fans including Jennifer Lawrence, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kendall Jenner. The minimalist perfection testifies to craftsmanship that does not require a striking logo.
If the £4,720 price tag puts you off, Mango has a similar shopper style for £49.99.
Takes you anywhere with the top handle
Swedish fashion house Toteme says it designs ‘with appreciation for the many roles of women and the way garments are worn in practice’. In other words, form and function unite in his creations.
The T-Lock brown top handle bag perfectly reflects the classic and cool, minimalist approach that has earned it a fan base as wide as the Duchess of Sussex, Hailey Bieber and Anne Hathaway.
LR: Designer £1,070. T-Lock, toteme-studio.com; High Street £139. Tan, mintvelvet.com
The top handle is symptomatic of the stylish utilitarianism that runs through all his creations: it is designed to fit perfectly into the curve of the arm.
It’s not cheap, but don’t worry. Mint Velvet has a lookalike – and the £139 price tag means you won’t have to live on toast for the rest of the year.
Ultimate party bag
Jessie Loeffler Randall created her brand in 2004 from her Brooklyn apartment.
Now available in the world’s most exclusive stores, including Net-A-Porter and Farfetch, Loeffler Randall’s undiluted, unapologetic take on femininity has lately been a hit with a stealth-rich, beige-weary fashion crowd, and celebrities like Taylor Swift and Sienna Miller. .
Loeffler Randall’s £215 Rayne clutch bag is the perfect embodiment of the brand’s maximalist aesthetic: a giant bow adorns a glorious Quality Street-esque pleated fabric
L-R: Designer £215. Rayne clutch, loefflerrandall.com; Hoogstraat £50. Pleated clutch with bow, Monsoon on freemans.com
The £215 Rayne clutch is the perfect embodiment of his maximalist aesthetic: a giant bow adorns a glorious Quality Street-esque pleated fabric.
A High Street alternative? Monsoon’s £50 version remains sold out.
A total triumph
Yes I know. Celine is not a fashion house that stays under the radar. But the Triomphe bag has been embraced by the fashion crowd as the status symbol du jour, with a fanbase that includes Angelina Jolie and supermodel Karlie Kloss.
And no wonder: the perfect size for everyday essentials, it combines the luxury factor of the softest leather and gold hardware (the iconic Celine emblem, of course) with the practicality of a crossbody strap.
There’s only one catch. It’s £2,850. Ah!
Celine’s Triomphe bag has a fan base including Angelina Jolie and supermodel Karlie Kloss
LR: Designer £2,850. Teen Triomphe, celine.com; High Street £385. The Vancouver, demellierlondon.com
So those who really know their stuff will go to the mid-range brand Demellier instead.
The Vancouver style is still a £385 investment, but this is luxury whose price tag pales in comparison to Celine.
Fans of Demellier’s more accessible approach to luxury include Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales.
If it’s good enough for royalty…