Reader Kate writes:
I would like to make a lifetime investment on a weekend leather bag. I’m looking for something light. With the choice of LV Keepall Ban 55, Goyard Boeing 55, or Dunhill Weekend Holdall, I’m not sure which one should I go with. With your experience, which one of these choices should I go with?
In some areas of accessories (day bags, for example), it’s fun to pick up a new bag or two a couple times a year, but in other areas, you want to go one-and-done, to borrow a sports term. Most types of larger luggage are in that group, and that extends to weekend bags, which are a workhorse of any wardrobe. The three you’ve picked are all exceptional; you can’t go wrong no matter which way you go, in my opinion. Each has its own advantages, though. Let’s see where we’re at with all three:
Dunhill Duke Weekend Holdall Bag
$5,190 via Dunhill
This choice is the most expensive of the group, and it’s by the brand that’s the least well-known. That’s not necessarily a mark against it, though; Dunhill has been around for over a hundred years and makes gorgeous products that are worth they money the company charges, and there’s something to be said for choosing a bag that won’t call as much attention to itself for travel.
Goyard Boeing 55 Bag
$3,940 via Goyard
There’s just something about Goyard, isn’t there? For a major accessories brand with locations around the globe, it sure is elusive. A great thing about the Boeing is how many ways the brand can hand-customize it for you, and if you plan to do that, then I might be swayed in its direction. At this price point, though, I’d personally want to go all-leather, and Goyardine is coated canvas. It’s still very strong and makes for a wonderful travel bag, but in the mid-four figures, I want leather, personally.
Louis Vuitton Holdall Bandouliere 55 Bag
$3,650 via Louis Vuitton
When it comes time for me to get my own lifetime travel bag, I’m going to get a Louis Vuitton Keepall, and that’s what I’d recommend for you as well. I’d advise anyone to skip the traditional LV monogram on this bag for either Damier or one of the brand’s leathers, depending on price point. Not only does this bag come in the most potential material and color options of the three, which allows you to get something that really fits your style and personality, but Louis Vuitton’s travel bags are widely recognized as excellent. For a full leather bag, they’re also a much better value than the company’s everyday handbags.
Another aspect I like is that the brand’s stores are the most widely accessible of the three, and if you intend to use the bag for years to come, you’ll likely need it repaired or refreshed at some point, which is easiest if you can just drop it off at the store to be sent out. Weekenders are workhorses, after all.
Which one would you go with? Let us (and Kate!) know in the comments.
