Designer bags - have they had their day do you think?

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Interesting article here about Mulberry and I agree with it.

I think the pricing has just gone crazy - its not that long ago when a mulberry bag was around the £500 mark and now they're at least £1k which for me is just way too much.

I feel I'm in handbag limbo land now - all the ones I like are £1k plus and I'm just not going to spend that. But equally it feels that £250 is too much on a bag from Whistles etc.

Good job I've got enough bags to keep me going for the next 10 years

I'm happy to spend £250 on 'a' bag, 'a' good coat, 'a' good dress. This is also done carefully and sporadically. However, those items are wardrobe work horses and go on and on.

I think in these economic times people make 'considered' purchases from fast fashion to designer fashion. Everyone's budget differs but the purchasing decision is the same & its now FAR more careful than it used to be, therefore there's a real interest now in where its made, what its made from, durability, longevity etc etc...

As long as we all covet ( and I don't!) what the 'celebs' are wearing designer bags will always be in demand. What happened to individual good taste and choice? - - classic good quality leather bags in stylish colours and designs - made to wear well is what I want - not cheap imitiations of what some actress of the moment is wearing - - rant over !

Saying that - - - I ordered -- on the strong advice of MN's I might add -
this - and it just arrived 10 minutes ago - - good quality leather, well made, different from anything else I have seen on the High Street -- AND i love it !

Bag prices are crazy !!!! have a Luella a Mulberry and a Gucci i was considering putting on ebay but i am considering getting them out and using them they are all classic colours and they would go for peanuts on ebay and replacing like for like would be well over 1k at todays prices !!!!

Meant to add I object to paying £300 plus in whistles or LKB for something that would not feel as special and probably not as good quality as my 10 year old Gucci and Luella.

If I had a Gucci now - I would not sell it -- - you will never get the price back for it and with that quality it will last and last - - keep it! - family heirloom stuff!

frugal i read that book a couple of years ago,it was an eye opener! an italian woman once told me that very few design houses(bottega veneta,loro piana,tods,etc)care about the quality of their products now days,and these brands have a very solid reputation that they dont want to jeopardize,other brands want to jump and reach this status and spend millions on ad campaigns and marketing.they want to sell an image of luxury and prestigiousness, hence the 1k and more price tag.

Limoncellolovely I am always looking in vintage shops for a chanel or gucci, I am convinced one day I will stumble across something made years ago which is gorgeous, far better made than today and only £50... #dream on

Santa - a Bottega Veneta bag is the only one I'd ever contemplate spending that type of money on. But that's not realistically going to happen for a long time.

So basically there is a real gap for decent bags at around the £250 - £500 price point - ie, where mulberry/anya used to be a few years bag.

I have recently bought a Chloe Marcie and Balenciaga City. I have no idea which slebs have them. To me, they are just very beautiful (if somewhat expensive!) bags.

MrsCB, I agree there is a gap in that range. I like Aspinal, which is at the top of that range, though have noticed they are slowly creeping up in price too.

I agree with you OP but just find there is no middle ground. I've been mostly using a gorgeous snakeskin Alexa for a while but wanted something light (in colour) for summer im not a label snob and despite searching everywhere haven't found anything I liked.

I nearly bought a French connection bag online last week only to discover at the last minute it was pleather - for £180!

So I've just bought a Celine phantom. Lovely but yes expensive. Would love some suggestions for well made, beautifully styled leather bags because frankly the expensive ones don't last in any event.

I've bought a few Peony & Moore bags, lovely leather and wear well, nice designs. I also like the look but never bought from Aubrey London and LAMB1887..

V jealous over your Chloe Marcie purchase...

I bought my first Mulberry in 2003 and I loved the brand for many years. Then about 2009 I started falling deeply out of love. I think they hired some new people and decided to skimp on quality and raise the prices to make as much profit as possible. Trouble is they modelled themselves on established brands that did the same and succeeded. LV, Chanel and Gucci will always have a huge fan base willing to spend £££, but Mulberry just will never be in that league. They are trendy at best and will crash and burn at some point.

I love my oak Bayswater, which is the only bag I still have after all these years. I thought about selling her and then decided to pick her up and use her again and I'm glad I did. I parted with exactly £400 in 2006 because I bought from Selfridges with 20% off in their pre-Christmas offer. Tbh, as pretty as she is, that is all she is worth!

joliejolie, me too. That's the only Mulberry bag I've kept, and I've been buying from them since I was a teenager (a v v long time ago). I will still shell out for something that fills a hole, but I also prefer less look at me (but still well made and preferably European made) bags

...mind you, I bought two longchamps leather bags a few months ago which are made in China and they're fantastic quality

I love handbags but the only one I'd really shell out for is a Chanel 2.55. i prefer to buy more unusual designers such as Tabitha to be honest.

mrscampbell i totally agree,the first "proper" bag i bought with my very first paycheck was a mulberry bayswater,i paid around 580 for it,that was back in 2006,it sells now for 800+! i still have the bag and use it very often,but to me they are not worth spending almost 1k on it now days,i rather spend it on a smaller bottega bag(which im saving for btw).
novice i have a chloe paraty in black,they are a bit expensive but beautifully made and they hold their shape,and its true they are not coveted by celebs or heavily advertised.

celine bags are very well made dreams,i bought one last year from matches,and looking at their prices on ebay they do seem like a good investment! there are a lot of very good quality bags around but they dont come cheap.you really pay for what you get,specially if u want it to last for years.

madammecholet Thanks for the Aubery England link. I am looking for a work bag and some of their totes are gorgeous - could be problem solved.

I don't own any designer bags - Radley and Peony & Moore is as expensive as I get. I love the look of so many bags but struggle to justify the prices. I had decided I would spend approx £500 on a bag for my birthday but nothing I have looked at in that price range seemed worth it. Prada bags make me drool but I would have to pay the mortgage off first to justify one!

ahhh the Chanel 2.55 JennySense

You're welcome libertychick.. ;)

I think mulberry is too expensive noe. I prefer the older style bags .

Liberty, I got a Prada bag in Bicester recently for around £500. Still expensive I know but better than the Sloane Street prices!

Interestingly - article in yesterdays Telegraph saying Mulberry shares down by a fifth. They say that their growth was largely attributed to the success of the Alexa and Bayswater models some selling at £3000 - and these are now on the wane. They are now going to increase brand awareness outside the UK. So ladies you are all right their target market is -- not us.!!