Spending a large sum of money on a handbag can be downright scary, especially if it’s your first time. The first time I bought a premier designer handbag, my Louis Vuitton Neverfull in monogram with pivoine lining, I was quite literally sweating. I’m pretty sure my hand may have been shaking slightly when I handed my debit card over on that fateful day, crystalizing my destiny as someone who spends a lot of money on handbags. Fortunately, (or unfortunately, if you happen to be my wallet), it gets easier to spend that much after you’ve done it once before. Like riding a bike, it becomes familiar and comfortable with practice. That being said, I still consider myself budget-conscious, and every bag that I purchase is a well thought out decision. An expensive premier designer handbag typically sits on my wishlist for a few months, sometimes years, before I pull the trigger and bring it home.
Because I am a big fan of budget-friendly purchases, I buy a lot of bags from contemporary brands. Many of them are comparable quality to my premier designer bags, and I love that I can impulsively buy a bag on a whim without feeling guilty about it. For years my go-to contemporary brand has been Tory Burch. Tory Burch is known for her well-crafted, all American aesthetic. I have often turned to Tory Burch to get the premier look for less, as many of her bags have a luxurious quality at a lower price point. Tory Burch bags have their finger on the pulse with current trends, and offer styles similar to the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and other high-end designers. So last week I found myself a bit stumped when I stumbled upon a $1,498 Tory Burch handbag for sale on ShopBop. Assuming it was most definitely a mistake, I went to the Tory Burch site directly, only to find the Rowan Tote style bag listed for $1,498 there as well.
I immediately went to look at the materials of the bag, wondering if that could be why it was priced so high. If you’ve never shopped Tory Burch before, most Tory Burch bags are priced at $500 or lower, with a few here or there reaching between $700 and $800. I have never seen anything from the brand cost more than $800, so $1,498 is a pretty significant leap. The Rowan Tote is made of suede and has gold-tone hardware. It is quite large, coming in at 16.25 x 17 x 11 inches. It is adorned with studded hardware, which I personally love. Despite the fact that this is a beautiful, well-constructed bag…I just don’t see myself spending that much money on it. I’d rather get a Louis Vuitton at that price point. I still will continue to shop Tory Burch, but only at a lower price.
Would you drop that kind of money on a Tory Burch handbag?
Tory Burch Rowan Oversized Tote Bag ($1,498)
Tory Burch has lost her mind.
she never had a mind in the first place
Her bags lack quality and craftsmanship! She needs to stay in her own lane!
Noooooope.
i always wonder why carries a tory burch bag? you can buy a gucci or prada at the outlet for the same price one would pay for a tory burch & the quality of her bags is terrible because obviously they are Made in China
obviously the Prada, Gucci quality is not much better than Tory Burch, especially Prada, especially the bags that went to outlet (means they are not good enough to be sold at their original price tag) no matter where it’s made.
Your Iphone is made in China, guess why? because if it’s made in anywhere else, it will either cost you at triple the price, or it will be a crap.
i never said anything is wrong with made in china, i choose not to buy “luxury items” made in china as i prefer items made in italy or france. we are all entitled to our opinions (we are not discussing iPhones here) so please spread your hate elsewhere.
Agreed. Nothing wrong with “Made In China”.
Just peoples think the brand doesn’t justify the price tag.
Balenciaga Triple now made in China, still flew off from the rack.
I dropped over 1K (1.7k to be accurate) on a contemporary brand (Coach). now a days, the definition of Premier vs. Contemporary brand makes no much sense. If you look at the top tier of the contemporary brand bags, their craftsmanship, material is nothing less than these normal Premier brands, sometimes it’s even better. Even the design is no more the boundary, the current Coach Design directly used to be the designer of LV, LOEWE. etc. Spend the money on whatever you feel comfortable. Don’t judge a bag based on the brand.
Before getting into all bags over $1000…Tory Burch and Kate Spade were my go to bags. But I would not pay that much for a Tory Burch bag. I just do not see me paying $1500 at Tory Burch, Kate Spade, or Coach. Just my preference as a purse collector.
I like the looks of the bag but the price isn’t warranted. For a nice basic tote I’d go for Madewell.
I wouldn’t. I mean, I wouldn’t spend that much on any bag (no shade to anyone, I know what site I’m on — just a personal preference) but I find Tory Burch to be the most overpriced of the contemporary designers who I like. And I do like quite a few of her bags — but the brand doesn’t have the range of Coach or the playfulness of Kate Spade, for example, IMO. Lots of super large logos, too.
I agree with some of the other commenters — if you’re going to drop that kind of $$$ on a bag *and* you’re into designer bags, you may has well get a designer bag. If you love TB, though, and you’ve got that kind of cash — why not?
The bag looks really nice and I’d pay 400 € for it, but no more.
As for contemporary, not all brands are created equal. I love Longchamp for their heritage and proud tradition – if I had the extra money to spend, I’d get me a Paris Premier bag in a flash.
Not for this Tory Burch. For $1000, you can buy a customized Coach Rogue bag. I think that’s more worth the $1000 than this.
Ridiculous!! It comes at 1995$CAD + taxes (+15% here) so WELL over 2000$!!
I don’t even think it looks very good, so I wouldn’t.
I guess it is like Michael Kors selling bags over $1,000? I honestly think “contemporary” brands are a waste of money. I would rather save a bit more and get something higher-end. And if I am going to buy something practical and inexpensive, I would rather go for Kipling or LeSportSac.
I was at Tory Burch today and met the beautiful Rowan tote. I thought it was love at first sight until I looked at the price tag. I agree with you, at that price point I’d rather treat myself to a new Louis Vuitton.
Not for Tory Burch, I wouldn’t. I would rather add a few thousand bucks and get myself a bag from one of the high-end brands. I had 2 TB bags, one of which was the Ella tote. The button on one side constantly unfastened by itself even when I didn’t carry many things. It got on my nerves. I didn’t know the name of the other TB I owned. It was a black shoulder bag and the clasp literally fell off after about 2 or 3 months. It was only later that I found out both bags were made in China which explains the poor quality. Don’t get me wrong. I think many TB bags are beautiful and several of them are quite stylish but I would think twice before purchasing another one. Her shoes/sandals, on the other hand, are fairly well-constructed. I am an avid fan of TB footwear collection and I have got more than a dozen pair. They sure last longer than her bags. As far as I am aware, they are manufactured in places like China and Vietnam. When it comes to contemporary bag designer, I would go for Michael Kors, Coach and Mansur Gavriel. From my experience in carrying their bags, I can say that they are durable and the leather is of great quality. As much as I adore Kate Spade for its bright colour and funky bags, I find that the quality is subpar compared to MK, Coach and MG. Another contemporary brand that I have seen on the arms of women is Furla. I am not a fan, though.