Handbags

The 10 Most Expensive Purse Brands in the World

Our roundup of the most expensive purse brands lends insight into what makes their creations so unique and desirable over the years.

By 

Meyme Nakash

 |  October 18, 2024

Over the past few years, the word investment has been tossed around a lot regarding luxury handbags. The idea that designer handbags are assets that can retain and even appreciate in value isn’t another ploy to justify a shopping addiction. Rather, actual evidence backs this claim (lucky us!). In 2020, a study by Art Market Research revealed that luxury and vintage handbags outperformed art and even rare whiskies — with an annual return of 13%, compared with 5% for art and whisky. This means that more people are turning to the most expensive purse brands to diversify their portfolios, placing one-of-a-kind and limited-edition handbags in the same category as Rolex watches. 

Two factors are behind fast-growing investment bags: limited availability and precious materials. Chanel and Hermès, for example, limit the number of bags a client can purchase in a year. This is unofficially called the quota bag system, and it only applies to their most covetable styles, such as the Chanel Classic 11.12 bag and the Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags; these handbags have a considerable markup on the secondhand market. Second, the most expensive bags are made of exotic skins and/or precious materials. Such as the Mouawad 1001 Nights diamond purse. This heart-shaped bag is covered in 4,000 diamonds weighing 381.92 carats in total, explaining its $3.8 million price tag. Although it isn’t from a fashion brand, it’s the Guinness World Records holder for the most expensive handbag in the world. Its rival, a custom-made Lana Marks Cleopatra clutch, pales in comparison with 40 carats of black diamonds for $400,000.  

Of course, the most expensive purse brands are constantly producing elaborate creations in an attempt to eclipse one another in value. Recently, Hermès revealed a Birkin bag with nearly 3,000 colorful gemstones, and Paco Rabanne announced a 1969 Nano bag made entirely of 18K gold. Here, we round up the most expensive purse brands and explain how each transformed handbags from ordinary fashion accessories to wearable art and serious investment pieces. 

In This Article 

• Hermès
• Chanel
• Louis Vuitton
• Saint Laurent
• Bottega Veneta 
• Fendi 
• Christian Dior
• Céline
• Gucci
• Judith Leiber

The Most Expensive Purse Brands in the World

Hermès 

Thierry Hermès established his eponymous brand in 1837, specializing exclusively in high-quality equestrian equipment. Over the years, the maison honed its craft as it worked with first-rate leathers to produce long-lasting harnesses and bridles — ultimately garnering the European elite’s attention with its mastery of leather goods. Fast-forward to today, and Hermès is one of the world’s most legendary fashion brands, recognized for creating some of the most iconic handbags — several of which embrace its equestrian roots. 

The most popular types of Hermès handbags are undoubtedly the Birkin and Kelly bags. The brand conceptualized the Birkin bag in 1984 with the help of French-British actress and singer Jane Birkin, and named it after her. The Birkin has a square silhouette, two top handles, and a front-facing lock closure with a lock and set of keys in gold- or palladium-plated hardware. The Kelly Bag, on the other hand, debuted in the 1930s as a practical approach to the mini handbags trend. It has a trapezoid shape, which offers more space, one top handle, a cutout flap, and a front-facing lock closure. At retail, a classic leather Birkin bag ranges from $10,400 to $12,500, whereas a Kelly bag is between $8,700 and $12,000. 

Hermès handbags are extremely difficult to acquire in-store, requiring a leather goods appointment — an opportunity allegedly afforded only to top clients who spend tens of thousands of dollars on Hermès clothing, jewelry, watches, and home goods. The exclusivity surrounding Hermès handbags makes them more desirable, contributing to their considerable markup on the secondhand market. Exotic Birkin and Kelly bags, which we discuss further in the next section, reign as the most covetable handbags the maison offers.

Exotic and Diamond Hermès Birkin and Kelly Bags

The most expensive Hermès handbags are Birkin and Kelly bags in exotic skins such as ostrich, alligator leather, and crocodile skin. Sometimes, these bags have diamond- and gemstone-set hardware, adding to their value. In addition to their very expensive materials, these handbags are usually one-of-a-kind styles; this makes them even more covetable and, therefore, extremely expensive. Himalayan bags, made of treated crocodile skin, are among the most popular exotic styles and cost upward of $100,000 — although they’re certainly not the most expensive. In 2022, an Hermès Matte Alligator Faubourg Birkin, for example, sold for $302,400 at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. The Faubourg Birkin bag comes in several colorways that generally sell for the same price. Although the white version — the Snow Faubourg — is the most popular and expensive.

As for Diamond Birkin and Kelly bags, these handbags have 18K white gold and diamond hardware and sometimes even more precious gemstones throughout. The Ginza Tanaka Birkin, made entirely of platinum and covered in 2,182 diamonds, reportedly sold for $1.9 million. It showcases a pear-shaped 8-carat diamond at the center of its body and has a diamond-encrusted strap that you can remove and wear as a bracelet. Another example is the Sac Bijou Birkin, which is crafted from rose gold and set with 2,712 diamonds. Only three are in existence, each worth an astonishing $2 million.

Chanel

In 1910, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel opened a hat boutique in Paris called Chanel Modes. It instantly gained the attention of wealthy hotel guests at the Ritz Paris, located nearby. The founder started making custom hats for clients, which helped grow her reputation in high society, eventually expanding into luxury sportswear, fragrances, and, of course, handbags. Today, Chanel is one of the most respected fashion brands in the world. And its handbags are some of the most sought-after fashion accessories.  

The maison has many popular styles, but the Classic 11.12 bag sits at the top of the most iconic types of Chanel handbags. This reinterpretation of the 2.55 bag launched in the 1980s as part of Karl Lagerfeld’s, the late artistic director’s, efforts to reinvigorate the brand after Coco Chanel’s passing in 1971. Two distinctive features of the bag are the double C turn-lock closure and the leather and chain strap. It has a leather lining, a hidden zipper pocket on the external flap, two interior inserts with a dedicated nook for lipstick, and a pocket on the back of the bag. 

The price of the Classic 11.12 bag has increased exceedingly over the past decade due to the immense popularity of this timeless heirloom. Today, a medium leather Classic 11.12 handbag is $10,800 at retail. Classic 11.12 bags rendered in exotic skins or with diamonds are extremely rare and, therefore, sell for even more. 

Exotic and Diamond Chanel Classic 11.12 Bags

In May 2019, Chanel stopped using exotic skins and leathers, causing the price of vintage exotic styles to skyrocket. The Chanel Diamond Forever is the most prominent example of this, one of which sold for $261,000 at amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS benefit. This limited-edition Classic 11.12 is a Lagerfeld creation that launched in 2008. It’s made of matte-finish alligator leather and features 18K white gold hardware with a dazzling double C clasp covered in 3.56 carats worth of diamonds. Chanel produced only 13 versions of this model. There are also other styles rendered in exotic skins, such as this Chanel Green Crocodile Mini Kelly, listed for $220,900. 

Louis Vuitton

After 17 years of apprenticing for a trunk designer, Louis Vuitton started his namesake label in 1854. Based in Paris, Vuitton’s workshop quickly became a breeding ground for trunk-making innovations. This includes the signature unpickable lock that the brand released in 1866; it addressed growing concerns about luggage theft at a time when more people began to travel, and it’s still used across many Louis Vuitton bags — not just trunks — to this day. In 1892, after Louis’s passing, his son Georges took over with a mission to expand his father’s legacy by opening flagship stores worldwide. In the 1930s, it released the Keepall bag and a smaller version of the duffel, the Speedy bag. This propelled Louis Vuitton into a class of the most expensive purse brands in the world, with the Speedy at the top of all its styles. 

The Speedy has two top handles, a top zip closure, and two leather tabs at its sides. It comes in various sizes and materials, but the classic versions are the Speedy 30 in coated canvas with the brand’s iconic LV Monogram or Damier Ebene print. The Speedy Bandouliere, another style of the popular bag, has an additional zipper pull, leather panels at its sides instead of tabs, and two rings for attaching a shoulder strap or keychain. At Paris Men’s Fashion Week in 2023, Louis Vuitton’s menswear creative director, Pharrell Williams, debuted the Millionaire Speedy — sending shockwaves through the industry. Available in five colors, it’s made of crocodile leather and has a flipped white signature monogram. It also features a pavé diamond-set LV pendant and yellow gold hardware, and it costs $1 million — as its name suggests. This exclusive bag is made-to-order and available only to top clients. 

Saint Laurent 

Another one of the most expensive purse brands in the world is Saint Laurent. It was originally named Yves Saint Laurent, after its beloved founder, but was rebranded as Saint Laurent in 2012. After two years of working alongside legendary designer Christian Dior, Algerian-born Yves Saint Laurent started his eponymous label with his partner, Pierre Bergé, in 1961. At first, the fashion house specialized in women’s clothing, gaining society’s attention with groundbreaking pieces such as the first tuxedo suit for women, which debuted in 1966. The same year, it opened its first ready-to-wear boutique in the Left Bank in Paris — Rive Gauche in French — and released its first-ever handbag: the Rive Gauche bag. Although handbags weren’t originally the main focus, Saint Laurent bags immediately gained people’s favor for their clean lines and jewelry-like hardware. 

Today, the 1990s-inspired Le 5 à 7 bag is the brand’s bestseller. This hobo-style bag has a minimalist design with a crescent shape, a YSL hook closure, one main compartment, and a small interior zip pocket. It was released in spring 2021 and is available in various sizes and materials, including limited-edition versions in exotic skins. One of the most expensive handbags Saint Laurent offers, however, is the Manhattan Top-Handle in shiny alligator skin, with a $50,000 price tag. 

Bottega Veneta

In 1966, Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro founded Bottega Veneta, a brand specializing in artisanal leather goods. The phrase bottega veneta means “Venetian shop” in Italian, nodding to the brand’s first boutique in the city of canals. Bottega Veneta gained momentum in the late 1970s, specifically among celebrities such as Andy Warhol and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It’s famous for its discreet, non-branded approach to luxury goods. This explains its initial success among socialites who cared more about quality than showing off extravagant labels. Although it had a cult following for years, the brand experienced an enormous boost in popularity starting last year with the rise of “quiet luxury.” 

In the fashion industry, quiet luxury refers to understated designs using high-quality materials. Bottega Veneta is one of the few brands we associate largely with this movement. It accomplished this feat with its signature intrecciato technique, comprising thin strips of leather that are woven to create a basket-like appearance. The Jodie, one of the most iconic types of Bottega Veneta bags, features intrecciato-woven lambskin leather, a rounded crescent shape, and a classic knot. It’s available in various sizes, although the mini Jodie is the most popular. The brand also offers a mini Jodie in alligator skin for $18,500 at retail. This pales in comparison to the alligator skin version of the small Hop, another classic handbag, for a whopping $45,900.

Fendi 

Husband-and-wife duo Edoardo and Adele Fendi founded their namesake label in 1925, opening a small leather and fur shop in Rome. Its handbags gained immediate popularity, thanks to their unique design element; one example is the brand’s signature Selleria stitching — essentially a tone-on-tone top stitch — Adele’s invention inspired by horse bridles. Their five daughters helped expand the brand’s influence, taking on various creative and business roles. Even though it is owned by LVMH, Fendi still prides itself on being partially family-run, with Silvia Venturini Fendi — its founders’ granddaughter — as the creative director of accessories, menswear, and childrenswear. Her most significant mark on the brand was creating the iconic Baguette bag in 1997, which remains one of the most stylish types of Fendi handbags today.

The Baguette bag has a rectangular silhouette, an FF clasp, and a short shoulder strap. It fits snugly beneath the underarm, meant to reflect the casual way French women carry a loaf of bread as they strut the streets of Paris. Nonvintage baguette bags come with a detachable shoulder and crossbody strap, making this a versatile style in terms of fit. It comes in several sizes; the most popular one is medium. This bag is available in limited-edition materials like lizard leather and mink fur. Currently, its most expensive bag is the Baguette bag embroidered with a statue motif for $11,800; it depicts a mirrored Roman statue with more than 100,000 beads in six different shades. However, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to Fendi’s made-to-order bags. This option allows you to choose from exotic skins, furs, and precious materials to bring your dream bag to life.   

Christian Dior

French-born designer Christian Dior established this legendary fashion house in 1946. He presented his first collection in 1947, shaking the fashion world with his “New Look,” comprising a full skirt, rounded shoulders, and a cinched waist. It was controversial because it reversed designers’ efforts to liberate women from restrictive clothing. Nonetheless, it grabbed the public’s attention, eventually directed at the brand’s elegant handbags. Today, Christian Dior is one of the most expensive purse brands in the world, celebrated for its embrace of femininity. 

Two handbags made history for the brand: the Lady Dior and the Saddle bag. The brand debuted the former bag in 1995 and renamed it after Diana, the late Princess of Wales, who wore it at many high-profile events. It has a boxy silhouette, D-I-O-R charms, and Cannage motif topstitching — the brand’s signature pattern resembling Napoleon III chairs. The brand launched the Saddle bag four years later, featuring a saddle-shaped silhouette, tight-fitting shoulder strap, and D-shaped stirrup clasp. Today, both styles are available in various sizes and materials. Christian Dior’s most expensive handbag right now is a mini Lady Dior with resin pearls and crystals for $9,300. However, vintage Lady Dior and Saddle bags in exotic skins sell for upward of $30,000 on the secondhand market. 

Céline

When we think of Céline, sophisticated women’s wear comes to mind. What most people don’t know about the brand, though, is that it started out as a made-to-order children’s shoe business. Céline Vipiana established her namesake brand with the help of her husband, Richard, in 1945. The brand grew slowly, opening more boutiques over the years, and by the late 1950s, it expanded into women’s shoes. This opened the door for other women’s accessories and ready-to-wear collections. Its creations are easily distinguishable by the brand’s double C logo, introduced in 1973 as the Blazon Chaine, which was inspired by the Arc de Triomphe’s curvature. This logo often takes the form of a metal clasp or printed pattern on its handbags, like in the case of the Triomphe bag. 

While most expensive purse brands don’t usually concern themselves with functionality, Céline makes handbags that are elegant yet practical. The Triomphe bag, for example, has clean lines and a roomy structure. Hedi Slimane, creative director of the fashion house from 2018 to 2024, dreamed it up at the start of his tenure with an eye to the brand’s archival logo. This was the first Céline bag with a double C clasp, paving the way for other models. It debuted at the Céline spring/summer 2019 show and has been cherished ever since.

The Triomphe bag has a rounded rectangular silhouette and an adjustable leather strap that you can wear as a crossbody or over the shoulder. It comes in three sizes, although medium is the most popular. The standard version of this bag is in calfskin with a lambskin lining. It’s also available in lizard leather, which sells for up to $9,300. 

Gucci

In 1921, Giuccio Gucci opened a small boutique in Florence, Italy, specializing in leather goods, luggage, and equestrian accessories. His passion for high-end luggage began when he was just a teenager working as a bellboy at the Savoy in London. He eventually returned to Italy, where he learned to work with leather under the luggage brand Franzi. Later, Giuccio applied the skills he honed at Franzi to his own brand, where he mastered his craft and gained international attention for his work. A century later, Gucci is among the most prestigious brands in the world, firmly rooted in Italian textile tradition. 

In 1961, Gucci released a bag that it later renamed after Jackie Kennedy — the American First Lady — who often donned this style. Since then, the Jackie handbag has become a hero for the brand, with its hobo-style silhouette and piston-shaped closure. It was around the same time that Gucci came out with its double G logo, designed by Giuccio’s son, Aldo. Gucci utilizes the double G motif in many designs. Such as this large printed tote bag for $8,300, but the Jackie remains one of its prized minimalist bags. It comes in mini, small, and medium sizes, and there are countless iterations in various leathers and exotic skins. This includes the Jackie in anaconda and python skin. 

Judith Leiber

Hungarian-American designer Judith Leiber is known for creating intricately designed clutches covered in Swarovski crystals. Her pieces should be viewed as wearable art that mimics objects and animals. Leiber officially trained at Pressl, a handbag manufacturer in Budapest, before World War II interrupted her apprenticeship. To cope with the harsh reality of living in a ghetto, she designed handbags in her head rather than letting her situation crush her spirit. After surviving the Holocaust, Leiber emigrated to America with her husband, where she worked for several handbag designers before starting her label in 1963. Today, Judith Leiber is one of the most expensive purse brands in the world, beloved for its escapist and playful bags. 

Among its stunning creations is the Precious Rose handbag, commanding a price of $92,000. The 18K white gold bag contains an astonishing amount of sparkle from 1,016 diamonds, 1,169 pink sapphires, and 800 tourmalines. It commanded such a high price because of its use of precious gemstones, marking it with the same quality as some of the world’s most expensive jewelry. Today, Judith Leiber bags come exclusively in Swarovski crystals and sell for around $6,000. It even offers novelty bags compact enough to fit in your hand. Such as the Strawberry Cupcake bag, which makes for extravagant small luxury gifts. 

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