What an individual qualifies as “expensive” or “inexpensive” varies from person to person. How much money is too much money to pay for something depends on a wide variety of factors. When it comes to purchasing luxury goods and handbags specifically, every person’s perception of a fair price for a particular piece will be different. With the luxury goods industry’s ever-increasing prices, consumers are almost always forced to spend more than what they would have been willing to spend a few years or even just a year ago.

Objectivity and Handbag Prices

And when it comes to objectivity, it can be hard for those of us in the industry to name a fair price, as the “sticker shock,” as they say, wears off when you’ve been doing this for as long as I’ve been. I honestly have no idea what a non-bias, reasonable price for a handbag might be. Not only have I been working in the luxury space for almost my entire career in fashion, but I’ve loved and collected handbags for most of my life.

Despite all of the aforementioned, even I can acknowledge that the prices of handbags have become a little insane. Gone are the days when we could offer you a nice roundup of picks $1,000 and under spanning many luxury brands. These days, you have to be willing to drop well into the four-figure mark if you’re looking for a decent-sized bag from a luxury house, which is a massive change from when I started working at PurseBlog six years ago. Times really have changed!

What’s Your Price Ceiling?

At this stage of my collecting journey, the most I’ve spent on a bag has been around $3,000 *insert monkey covering eyes emoji here*, and it’s not that I wouldn’t be willing to spend more; it’s that right now budgeting for a bag that costs more than my rent (on top of a rising cost of living) is simply not possible. It should come as no surprise that the value of owning a good handbag matters more to me than most people on earth, and I’m lucky that a bag at such a high price level is even an, albeit rare, option for me.

With price increases happening left and right, what you’re willing to pay has likely changed greatly. Most shoppers do have an ideal upper limit in their heads, and we want to know what yours is. Has it changed recently, and are there any extenuating circumstances that you could see yourself breaking it for if you really loved a bag?

Let’s talk!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

61 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Jaime
Jaime
3 months ago

Hard Ceiling $5000 and comfort range $1500 – $2500. I have never spent $5000 so it has to be perfection. And the games that Hermes and Chanel are playing aren’t fun or worth my time.

Amy
Amy
3 months ago

I’m older and can afford many of anything at this point, but it’s just not that important to me anymore. I have many Chanel, LV, etc… bags, shoes, accessories (no Hermes) that I spent a bloody fortune on collectively and honestly, I don’t really use/wear the vast majority. They don’t fit my simple and understated look that I prefer now. I guess it took me all these decades to realize that really it’s just my health, the health and happiness of those I love and my relationship with them, and my mental wellbeing that matters to me. “Things” aren’t part of that.

Barbara
Barbara
2 months ago
Reply to  Amy

Well said, Amy! I can relate, as I bought many bags over decades and found that only a few were my true favorites. Even worse is the realization than many of my high end bags like Chanel and Bottega (my two faves) bought years ago were much better quality and downright “affordable” compared to today’s outrageous prices. With age comes wisdom, and mine has evolved to knowing that no bag is ever worth $10K or more.

poleneceline
poleneceline
3 months ago

Soft ceiling: 2k
Hard ceiling: 3k

Comfortabe range: 500 dollars or less.

I bought celine bags because I really like the triomphe but when you look into resale values you realize these bags just aren’t worth that price tag, even at secondhand prices. So I went back to affordable and contemporary designers.

Ali Ashby
Ali Ashby
3 months ago
Reply to  poleneceline

That’s the same as me. I really want a Céline to have a well-rounded collection (I’ve obsessed over the luggage since 2011). The price hikes at LV have compromised that $3k ceiling, but I don’t think they’re “worth” that.

Saligator
Saligator
3 months ago

I stopped buying luxury handbags several years ago. When NY’s Barney’s went out of business, I was able to get a nice selection of Mark Cross bags (Retail ~$2500+ and up) for around $400-$650 (at the Barney’s outlets) that fit my needs (wicker for summer, big, small, evening, clutch, etc.). The are beautifully made, and come from a heritage American brand that is over 100 years old, with a fantastic back story (including some “South of France” tales of glamour. I saw a photo of Taylor Swift carrying the model I have the most of, so I know they were out there “in their day” with the fancy people, too.

Previously, I had invested in Hermés, with my ceiling being about $4000, buying a LONG time ago (but not B or K bag). I got really sick of babying the Hermés bags and worrying about them. I kept my Evelyn, which is a fantastic bag.

With the Mark Cross bags, I still get the status of the “luxury to quasi luxury brand” bag (they are/were sold at NM), but I care less about them, because they didn’t cost a fortune for me. I also don’t have to worry as much about being a target of sorts, because they aren’t bags that anyone really recognizes like the Birkin, Kelly, 2.55, or LV’s.

These days, if I were to buy a new bag, I’d buy Lancel or Longchamp, but I never understood the mystique of Chanel or LV, but I’m really happy with my Mark Cross bags and don’t really see buying any bags in the near (or far) future.

Ali Ashby
Ali Ashby
3 months ago
Reply to  Saligator

Your point about babying the bags is valid. When I spend $2500-3000 on a bag, I don’t want to use it because I’m so afraid of ruining it. How backwards is that? But I think it’s an indicator that my comfort price range is below $2k.

Deann F
Deann F
3 months ago
Reply to  Saligator

I also started to buy Mark Cross, American company, good quality, somewhat unique – not everyone has one, not too outrageous prices, subtle luxury, does not scream logo. I am Asian American and these days.

LisaLovesouis
LisaLovesouis
3 months ago

Back in the mid 2000s, I bought and sold quite a few LV bags and I still have two or three that are in my collection. The most expensive bag I bought was a Celine Micro Luggage back in 2013 for $2200 – that pretty much sits in my closet.

I have always wanted a Chanel classic flap bag, and I can afford one, but now I just don’t want to spend the money on it. Instead I’ve been buying less expensive but still good quality Mulberry bags – I have a pink tweed Mulberry Lily bag that has satisfied my need for a Chanel bag. I think the quality of my Mulberry bags is right up there with Celine. I’d love to have a Hermes bag as well, but I don’t want to deal with all the BS that goes with trying to buy one from the store.

Yazi
Yazi
3 months ago

If you have to take a loan or pay in installments then you probably discovered your “ceiling”.

Beryl
Beryl
3 months ago

Hard ceiling $1k. But realistically around $600. I’m more interested in design and quality than name so I just pay these inflated prices.

Amanda R
Amanda R
3 months ago

My holy grail bag is a Lady Dior, so I’m saving for that for Christmas/ my Birthday (which is 3 days after Christmas).

Otherwise, I’m trying to cap it around $2500, maybe $3k if I LOVE it.

Most of my purchases are pre-loved gems around the $1k mark, though. I really don’t feel the need to have the latest trend. I’m sure not dropping THOUSANDS on something that’ll be out of style (and that I won’t even care for or hold its value) in 6 months.

CPL JD
CPL JD
3 months ago

With the price of bags increasing, and the residual value of a preloved bag increasing, I am curious to know what people are doing in the estate planning arena to ensure that at your death or disability (it happens to everyone) your bags do not end up disappearing before the funeral or being accidently sold at garage sale or donated to charity for lack of understanding the brand value. I am an estate planning attorney and am just now realizing that I need to have these conversations with my clients.

Ali A
Ali A
3 months ago
Reply to  CPL JD

The only bags with real residual value (compared to purchase price) are Hermes and Chanel. Most depreciate significantly with wear and time. Still a good point!

Francine
Francine
3 months ago
Reply to  CPL JD

I was just discussing w/nephew who is my trustee, that I will label the art /sculptures that are $$$$. His mom is a bagaholic so he will have help with the bags. I warned him not let certain people help because they are the type who just throw things in the trash pile.🙁. Thinking about the inevitable, is also a reason to get rid of things you would not want others to see!

CPL JD
CPL JD
3 months ago
Reply to  Francine

Most estate planning documents allow you to make a list of who gets which personal items, that you care to list. Check your estate planning document to see if it has that paragraph. If it does, my suggestion is to make a list. Be precise in your description of the item so there is no argument, and be precise in who gets it. They like to recycle names in my family. Put a copy of the list in trusted hands so that it does not disappear if the person in charge does not feel she/he is getting what she/he deserves, or wants to substitute his or her own judgement for who should get what.

Cait O
Cait O
3 months ago
Reply to  CPL JD

What a good call. BRB going to update my will LOL

Susan
Susan
3 months ago
Reply to  CPL JD

When I m dead, they can throw my Birkin in the garbage for all I care. I’ll be back to dust anyway so it won’t matter to me.

CPL JD
CPL JD
3 months ago
Reply to  Susan

Well, in that case, consider leaving it to a charity. They could use the money. If you are not charitably inclined, I would love to have it. 🙂

Ella
Ella
3 months ago

Highest amount I have spent was just over $7k but I’m increasingly not keen on expensive bags anymore because the price often doesn’t match quality. For example I went to try a Fendi baguette in leather the other weekend and it “felt” like a $1500k. Currently debating the Celine Triomphe in black vs the My Lady Dior but the prices just seem so inflated. Might have to start looking at brands like Tory which actually seem very well made and decently priced.

Laura W
Laura W
2 months ago
Reply to  Ella

Have you thought of buying pre-loved? I almost feel like thats the only way to get luxury at a semi sensible pice these days.

Trending