Have you noticed that in the past year, you see a lot more Louis Vuitton bags than you did before? If you have, it’s not just you: we’ve noticed a definite uptick in celebrities carrying them in our twice-weekly roundups, and not just the handful of celebs who are friends of the brand and get them for free. There are two reasons for that: First, logos as a whole are experiencing an extended resurgence, which benefits Louis Vuitton enormously. Second, though—and equally important—is that Louis Vuitton’s monogram bags have been really good recently.
Nicolas Ghesquiere was hired to update and modernize consumer perception of LV’s iconic monogram, among other things, and a few years into the job, he seems to be doing a great job of exactly that. And while we all know longtime Louis Vuitton classics, like the Speedy, Alma and Neverfull, the brand now has a new class of LV-adorned bags that are well worth paying attention to. Longtime fans of the brand will know all of these bags by now, but we’re guessing that Vuitton has attracted the attention of quite a few first-timers recently, and we’re here to fill you in on the brand’s latest hits, below.
Louis Vuitton Pallas Bag
$2,540 via Louis Vuitton
Much of Louis Vuitton’s recent monogram success has hinged on its decision to start accenting its canvas bags with colorful leather instead of just the traditional natural vachetta, and this popular day bag, with its hint of interior color, was a gateway drug for that choice. The bag now comes in the all-color version you see below.
Louis Vuitton Tuileries Besace Bag
$2,080 via Louis Vuitton
This bag debuted with the Monogram Colors collection, which was the first indication that LV had taken the lesson of the Pallas’s popularity to heart and intended to infuse color into its monogram line. The results were the two Tuileries bags, and between them, the shoulder bag is the clear winner.
Louis Vuitton Popincourt Bag
$2,370 via Louis Vuitton
The Popincourt is the newest bag on this list, but it’s a natural outcrop of Louis Vuitton’s color experimentation with its monogram line. The bags simple, modern, lightweight design set it up to be a big hit.
Louis Vuitton Montaigne Bag
$2,410 via Louis Vuitton
The Montaigne is one of those designs that capital-F fashion people sort of ignore, but actual shoppers totally love. It’s roomy and functional, but with a polished look that helps mask the fact that you’re schlepping your whole life around.
Louis Vuitton Palm Springs Backpack
$1,860 via Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton’s men’s backpacks have always been popular pieces for the brand, so it’s long struck me as odd that LV never put out a backpack aimed at women, for either everyday or travel purposes. (Women could buy the men’s bags, of course, but the brand never encouraged it.) Finally we have the Palm Springs line, which was an immediate hit in several sizes and shows no signs of slowing down. That’s for good reason: it’s simple and functional, but with an undeniably fashionable edge.
Louis Vuitton Pochette Métis Bag
$1,780 via Louis Vuitton
The Pochette Métis has been one of Louis Vuitton’s runaway hits in the past few years, and it’s not hard to see why: it’s a functional crossbody in the perfect medium size, and its finishes have a classic quality that makes it a solid bet for years to come.
Louis Vuitton Neonoe Bag
$1,390 via Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton invented the bucket bag a zillion years ago with the Noe, but the bag’s short shoulder strap and traditional finishes kept it from experiencing much of a resurgence in the minimalist bucket bag craze brought on by Mansur Gavriel. This update version of the Noe, though, hits exactly the right note.
Louis Vuitton Manhattan Bag
$2,490 via Louis Vuitton
This updated version of the mid-2000s favorite is among the newest bags on this list, and it might be the biggest longshot at becoming a true classic, but I still like its odds. In its redesign, LV applied the lessons its learned about simplicity and color, which have been among the biggest keys to the brand’s monogram resurgence.
