MOST EXPENSIVE PURSE BRANDS

What makes Gucci, Chanel, and Hermès handbags so high-end? In this list, we’ll discuss the history and unique characteristics of some of the most well-known luxury purse brands.

Beaded creations mirror luxury in the costliest of handbag brands, coveted by celebrities and style enthusiasts. Among international fashion houses, common denominators are the best material and high-quality craftsmanship—many of whom moved waves within the circles of fashion by popularizing “It” bags.

Each season brings new designs while refreshing signature lines in attempts to churn out that next iconic look.

So what are the world’s costliest brands for handbags? We have rounded up labels whose hefty price tags make owning these bags a lofty investment. We have also put together a bit of history and each brand’s approximate price range for new bags—not considering the price tags for the vintage and highly exclusive ones, which can be even much higher.

Go through our list or click on a particular brand below.

No# 1 Alexander McQueen

This British fashion house, created by the late designer Lee Alexander McQueen, gained fame for its resourcefulness and provocative catwalks. Drawing from current events, history, and nature, elements of Alexander McQueen’s designs include.

Alexander McQueen Red Leather Small Legend Tote

This is a brand that is more known for its garments than its accessories, but the Alexander McQueen handbag is high-end, refined, and chic. Much like the innovation in McQueen’s fashion lines, the brand’s designs for handbags are creative and often quite edgy. Some of their signature styles for handbags include the skull clutches and their Heroine and De Manta bags.

Price range: $920–$4,090

Price range (vintage): $250–$15,000

If you were looking to buy the same type of bag from our store https://ohmyhandbags.com, the prices would range from $180 to $220. We have a variety of top-of-the-line products and ensure that the prices are really very competitive yet reflective of quality. Please do not hesitate to come by our store or call for more information on this bag and the many other fine and exclusive items we have in stock.

No # 2 Balenciaga

This house of fashion was founded by Cristobal Balenciaga in Spain but later moved to France in 1937, as the terrors of the Spanish Civil War began to emerge. A small boutique paved the way for what would finally revolutionize the women’s fashion scene through the introduction of revolutionary shapes and lines. Today, it has remained on the cutting edge of experimental style and is a firm purveyor of streetwear.

Balenciaga Marine Leather Small RH City Tote

Balenciaga handbags are known for fine leather and hardware. The first signature style is the Motorcycle bag, which comes in a light lambskin leather that is distressed through wear naturally. From the Motorcycle line came the Balenciaga City tote, the most popular Balenciaga handbag.

Price Range: $650–$3,000

Vintage Price Range: $350–$16,500

If you are looking to purchase the same bag from our store https://ohmyhandbags.com, the price range will be between $180 and $220. We offer a variety of premium products and ensure that our prices are competitive and reflective of the quality we provide. Please feel free to visit our store or contact us for more details on this bag and other exclusive items we have in stock.

No # 3 Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta represents classic Italian style, yet it had very modest beginnings as an artisanal leather shop in Vicenza, Italy. It was here that founders Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro developed the intrecciato woven motif that would become a signature for the house. The logo itself only appears on the inside of each piece, attesting to design and craftsmanship over brand recognition.

Bottega Veneta Brown Cassette Bag

Bottega went global in the 1980s, partially due to American pop culture drivers like Andy Warhol and Lauren Hutton. Since then, it has sealed its status as runway darling and street-style star with such bags as the Pouch, a minimalist design in buttery calfskin leather; the Cassette, a rectangular bag in an exaggerated version of the iconic weave; and the Cabat, a sophisticated, simple square tote that lets the handcrafted material take all the attention.

Price range: $1,100–$9,900

Price range (vintage): $125–$24,500

If you are looking to purchase the same bag from our store, the price range will be between $180 and $220. We offer a variety of premium products and ensure that our prices are competitive and reflective of the quality we provide. Please feel free to visit our store or contact us for more details on this bag and other exclusive items we have in stock.

No # 4 Burberry

This luxury fashion house is located in London and was founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry. Burberry became famous for the invention of gabardine, a weatherproof fabric first applied to explorers and the military, which later led to the design of the modern trench coat. Burberry had previously been building its way up to a global luxury brand throughout the late 20th century.

Burberry Beige/Black Classic Check Fabric and Leather Canterbury Tote

Burberry bags are designed to embody a very high level of quality and craftsmanship. The great majority are also very familiar with Burberry’s most recognizable pattern, which is the classic check—in black, white, and red stripes over a tan background—how about its different variations like the Nova Check pattern? Burberry offers so many different types of bags, from backpacks to shoulder bags. Some of their signatures are the Lola, Olympia, and Title bags.

Price range: $490–$3,690

Price range (vintage): $290–$2,210

No # 5 Chanel

Chanel is one of the most famous luxury brands in the world. It was founded by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in Paris in 1910. Coco Chanel took the normally masculine attire and transformed them into wearable, feminine fashion that attracted her notice from the elites in Paris. It is still, up to the present time, a leader in creative and ready-to-wear fashion.

Chanel 2.55 Reissue Classic Flap Hanger Large Limited Edition

Chanel handbags rank among the most expensive and highly regarded accessories in the world. Classy yet understated, many of the bags are out of this world, hence being a favorite of celebrities everywhere. The brand’s best-known bag is the Classic Double Flap bag, which includes Chanel’s signature quilting and leather interlaced through a chain strap. Other iconic styles include the Boy and Gabrielle bags. Another really admirable feature associated with authentic Chanel bags is their great resale value.

Price range: $3,000–$8,000

Price range (vintage): $280–$129,920

No # 6 Chloé

The House of Chloé was born in Paris in 1952. Gaby Aghion founded it, and it introduced a new concept: luxury prêt-à-porter, or ready-to-wear, fashion. Chloé could be considered one of the most famous brands of the 1970s, and it has always been associated with chic, sensual, and feminine style. Chloé began diversifying accessories, including bags, back in 2002.

Chloé Metallic Rose-Gold Leather Small Drew Shoulder Bag

Upon its release in 2005, the Chloé Paddington bag was an instant success. Other popular designs out in the market include the Marcie tote, the Faye, the Drew, and the Nile bags. With its origins in Italy, leather Chloé bags have recently become extremely popular because they exude class yet are discreet compared to most designer brands.

Price: $450–$2,550

Vintage appraisal: $250–$2,550

No # 7 Christian Dior

Art dealer-turned-fashion designer Christian Dior founded his house in Paris in 1941. His haute couture New Look collection reeked of glamourly optimistic times right after the Second World War; the brand earned its wide popularity for its lavish, highly constructed garments. It is now a brand known for its feminine and sophisticated style.

Dior Brown Croco Lady Dior Bag

Probably one of the most popular signature Dior bags would be the Lady Dior, featuring an architectural bag with a stiff structure and an arched handle. This model is available in a number of colors, sizes, and leathers. Completed features of Dior bags include intricate cannage quilting, and many carry the dangling, leather-backed charm carrying the letters of this brand.

Price: $800–$8,000

Vintage price: $190–$29,500

No # 8 Celine

This house of fashion was initially a children’s shoe shop, opened in Paris in 1945. Founded by Céline Vipiana, the brand diversified into women’s shoes, perfume, ready-to-wear, and functional accessories. Celine has undergone several creative directors, including Michael Kors and Phoebe Philo, but today is primarily recognized for simple, elegant fashion for women.

Celine Python Leather Medium Classic Box Bag

From the Luggage tote to the 16 bag, the Triomphe, and the Classic Celine bag, Celine has been making many It bags. Besides the excellence of their leathers, from stitching to their signature gold-tone fastening and hardware, each Celine bag is a handmade object of beauty.

Price range: $560–$7,500

Price range (vintage): $235–$23,000

No # 9 Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana is an Italian luxury fashion house born in 1985 from the Milanese creativity of two designers: Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. This fame arrived at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the ’90s, a period when the duo started infusing Sicilian styling and Italian iconography into designs featuring elaborate artistic prints, embroidery, and bold colors.

Dolce & Gabbana Brown Leather and Leopard Sicily Handbag

And, of course, Sicily is a perennial influence, as reflected in the name of one of its iconic bags. The Sicily handbag is stylish, structured, instantly recognizable, and timeless; all qualities of a prized collectible.

Price range: $1,225–$9,195

Vintage price range: $110-$9,500

No # 10 Fendi

Italian fashion house Fendi was at first a fur and leather shop based in Rome. It was established back in the year 1925 by Adele and Edoardo Fendi and eventually became one of the international luxury brands. Nowadays, Fendi is inspired both by tradition and its Italian roots, as well as by experiments carried out using high-quality fur.

Fendi Selleria Blue Leather Peekaboo Iconic Medium Tote Satchel Bag

The high degree of craftsmanship also allows for the demands of Fendi bags in terms of quality and individual detail. The Peekaboo and the Baguette are considered two of the most famous Fendi handbags.

Price range: $1,290–$21,000

Price range (vintage): $300–$25,500

No # 11 Givenchy

Givenchy is an international French brand known for its fashion and perfumes. It was founded by Hubert de Givenchy in 1952. The brand produces the majority of clothing lines for both men and women—such as casual chic and elegant— lines. Hubert de Givenchy was that designer who once worked with Audrey Hepburn. One of his peculiarities is his love for neat, simple looks.

Givenchy Black Leather Medium Antigona Satchel

Givenchy bags embody luxury through sophisticated, contemporary designs that withstand the test of time. Another one of its classic bags would be the most versatile Antigona, with its defining removable strap.

Price range: $1,590–$4,450

Price range (vintage): $230–$31,940

No # 12 Goyard

The family house of Goyard is a manufacturer of high-quality trunks and leather goods. The House of Martin was established in 1792, and with time, it became a favorite among the French aristocracy before turning into a global brand when the business fell into the hands of the Goyard family. This brand is very discreet and does not make statements to the press or appear on social media very often.

Goyard Saint Louis Claire Voie Bag

Goyard purses and handbags are always tasteful, never overdone, and carry the brand’s signature Goyardine interlocking chevron pattern. It is popular for its luxury totes and travel bags, including the extremely lightweight and reversible Saint Louis tote. Some other successful pieces will include the Anjou and Artois totes.

Price Range: $1,200–$3,550

Vintage Price Range: $1,255–$17,050

No # 13 Gucci

No list of iconic designer handbags would be complete without mentioning Gucci, one of the most recognizable fashion brands and the best-selling Italian label in the world. Founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1921, the brand is known for its eclectic, creative design and stands as a giant in the fashion industry.

Gucci Dionysus Bag GG Tweed Small

Gucci is one of the most expensive handbags globally. They come in numerous styles, but one of the recognizable markers of a Gucci purse is that many of them feature a GG Supreme canvas pattern. Some of their iconic bags, which have been very popular with this brand, are the canvas suitcase, the GG Marmont, and the Dionysus bag with its elegant chain and ornate tiger-head clasp.

Price range: $695–$34,000

Price range (vintage): $295–$24,000

No # 14 Hermès

Hermès started as a leather goods shop in Paris in 1837. A few years later, it developed its known stitching techniques to be able to create accessories and couture sportswear. Today, Hermès represents one of the premier luxury fashion and lifestyle brands in the world.

Hermès HSS Birkin 30cm Anemone Gris Asphalte Horseshoe Stamp

The Kelly and the Birnin are arguably the two most well-known out of all Hermès bags, and they are treated like luxury investments. Though these bags usually run from $10,000, exclusive and rare bags can run into hundreds of thousands.

Price range: $3,700–$10,900

Price range (vintage): $545–$479,000

No # 15 Judith Leiber

Judith Leiber was a designer and Holocaust survivor who founded her company in New York in 1963. Leiber was famous for her handcrafted, beaded minaudières, which worked as status symbols, statement pieces, and small works of art combined into one.

Judith Leiber Swarovski Crystal Rabbit Minaudière

Judith Leiber bags come in many forms but have been known to gain brand fame with jeweled, colorful, kitschy, and whimsical designs. The tiny, beautiful handbags are made from crystals, exotic skins, and satin. They are often shaped into animals or food, a nod to the humor that truly lies at the heart of Leiber’s design aesthetic. Most Judith Leiber bags fall within $1,000 to $5,000, though its most expensive bag, the Precious Rose, is really in a class of its own at $92,000.

Price range: $499–$92,000

Price range (vintage): $240–$4,200

No # 16 Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton was born in Paris in 1854 as a luggage house. The company prospered along with the increase in popularity of car and rail travel, and by 1896, the first iconic LV monogram pattern made its appearance on its luggage. Fast forward into today’s times, Louis Vuitton emerges to be one of the world leaders in luxury fashion. It is widely acclaimed for creative exploration, ingenuity, and bold design.

Louis Vuitton Speedy Handbag Monogram Canvas 30

Soon enough, the iconic Monogram canvas would grace a wide number of LV bag styles. Other icons among the famous signature Louis Vuitton bags are the Speedy, Steamer, and Keepall. Characteristic and very expensive, authentic Louis Vuitton goods are made from high-quality leather and materials.

Price range: $1,100–$6,000

Vintage price range: $310–$36,405

No # 17 Marc Jacobs

New York in 1984 was the time when designer Marc Jacobs established his Fashion House. This brand is associated with the oneness of tradition and innovation, reflecting its creator’s spirit of insubordination and authenticity. Marc Jacobs creates ready-to-wear fashion, cosmetics, and accessories; it is bright colors and oversized prints.

Marc Jacobs Black Quilted Leather Stam Shoulder Bag

Tote and other best-selling and popular Marc Jacobs purses include the Traveler tote and the Snapshot. Most Marc Jacobs bags are on the more affordable side compared to the other brands on this list; however, one of its most coveted handbags would be the Carolyn Crocodile handbag at $30,000.

Price range: $175–$30,000

Price range (vintage): $250–$2,900

No # 18 Miu Miu

It is the brainchild of Miuccia Prada; Miu Miu is the name under which she wanted to express her unconventional, effervescent, contemporary femininity, delightfully different from the conventional chic style of the parent brand, Prada.

Miu Miu Metallic Silver Matelassé Leather Medium Club Shoulder Bag

Miuccia, Mario Prada’s granddaughter, joined the family business in 1970 after earning a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Milan. Today she still runs the fresh, colored, and quirky Miu Miu line which celebrities with a similar sense of sartorial rebellion, such as Madonna, Drew Barrymore, and Chloë Sevigny have embraced.

Miu Miu bags are cheerful, bold, and young. This sequined Club version is a favorite. It comes in various matelassé leather neutrals, bright colors, or metallics. Then there’s the sparkling, stellar standalone of the embellished Crystal; afterward comes the classic structured leather design—the Madras.

Price range: $850–$4,400

Price range (vintage): $65–$2,200

No # 19 Mulberry

Mulberry was founded by Roger Saul back in 1971 in Somerset, England. His inspiration for the name and logo of his brand came from the Mulberry trees that grew near his home. He began his career designing belts made from leather and soon shifted to focus on women’s fashion and handbags shortly thereafter. This luxury brand has classically been associated with British heritage and timelessness.

Mulberry Brown Leather Bayswater Satchel

Longevity is a byword with Mulberry bags; moreover, the company is striving to source its leather sustainably. The Bayswater, the Alexa, the Amberley, and the Iris are the timeless style icons from Mulberry.

Price range: $451–$1,795

Price range (vintage): $350–$1,620

No # 20 Prada

Prada opened in 1913 as a luxury goods store owned by Mario Prada. Based in Milan, thanks to innovation and the fine materials used by Prada, the brand led to the position of official supplier of the Italian Royal Family. On the basis of increasing international expansion in the following years, today the company continues to innovate in the space of Luxury Fashion.

Prada Red Saffiano Lux Leather Small Galleria Double Zip Tote

Prada’s fame in leather goods is synonymous with its Saffiano leather, which undergoes heat treatment to achieve the highest possible durability and quality. Prada handbags are elegant and modern, coming in either leather or nylon. Sleek and timeless, Prada’s designs for its authentic handbags run from clutch to shoulder bags. Re-edition Nylon Mini has been a favorite among celebrities, but the Galleria, Nylon tote and the Cahier are also very famous designs.

Price range: $725–$4,800

Price range (vintage): $175–$12,900

No # 21 Tom Ford

Tom Ford is one of the most influential designers in the world. After a very successful stint as creative director of both Gucci and YSL, Tom Ford created his label in 2005. The brand has become synonymous with luxury and fine material quality. Equally famous for his fragrances, Tom Ford constructs some of the finest high-end bags in the world.

Tom Ford Tan Leather Natalia Shoulder Bag

Made of leather and precious skins, Tom Ford bags are celebrity favorites. It creates everything from hobo bags to totes, and two of the most popular styles are the Jennifer and the Natalia.

Price Range: $1,190–$25,500

Vintage Price Range: $310–$4,250

No # 22 Valentino

The Italian luxury brand Valentino was born in 1960 by Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti. This brand is very famous for haute couture, ready-to-wear apparel, sunglasses, and other accessories. Even though this brand has made its way into the limelight with romantic and charming dresses, it also designs high-end bags.

Valentino Black Leather Guitar Rockstud Rolling Crossbody Bag

These Valentino bags are cult classics and a hallmark of luxury fashion—vibrant and impeccable in their craft. One of the most iconic designs is the Rockstud Crossbody bag with platinum-finish studs and hardware.

Price: $2,460–$3,135

Price range (vintage): $300–$14,400

No # 23 Yves Saint Laurent

Known to the world of fashion, Yves Saint Laurent is a radical haute couture French designer who makes use of streetwear to come up with his designs; he brought to the fore the concept of the first ready-to-wear label. After working as the successor to Christian Dior, he founded his brand, famous for his revolutionary Mondrian minidress. The designer often draws inspiration from painters.

Saint Laurent Baby Sac de Jour Gray Leather Handbag

On the YSL handbag side, modern and elegant staples include the Sac de Jour, Loulou, Shopping tote, and Sunset bag. Known too are its monogrammed clutches and tasseled bags. Often part of the hardware is a featured YSL logo. Yves Saint Laurent bags are sleek; the styles would emanate from edgy to elegant.

Price range: $495–$2,990

Price range (vintage): $180–$8,800