Really good quality beautiful non designer bag

[JustAnotherDayWorkingAtHome]

I posted a while back about the Loewe puzzle being my dream bag.

I've actually had a serious rethink and am going to stop buying designer the prices are just insane.

So what I'm looking for is suggestions of where to buy really good quality but minimal branding bags. I'm still prepared to invest but just not the £2000+ designer price. I'm just not convinced the quality is that much better it's all for the brand.

Budget say £500-£750

I'd love a timeless leather cross body small to medium size (phone, glasses, bit of make up etc) in a taupe/ cream with gold hardware.

Any suggestions.

Polene, Smythson, Coach (on occasions)

I wonder if your price range isn’t a little arbitrary?

(Everything is ‘designed’ by someone - but at the artisan end of the spectrum designers aren’t obliged to add a nought for the sake of exclusivity and advertising.)

Home grown, these are fabulous:

https://kingsleywalters.com/

These have a great longstanding reputation:

https://www.allycapellino.co.uk/collections/leather-bags

Or you could take a flight to Italy and see what you find for a fraction of big designer name prices.

Failing all that - you can probably pick up a minimally used Loewe Puzzle bag from any reputable pre-owned source online.

Worth a look? I think they look interesting but have no experience of them. https://hereustudio.com/collections/all-bags

Tusting? https://www.tusting.co.uk/product/greta/
https://www.tusting.co.uk/product/mini-holly/
https://www.tusting.co.uk/product/cardington/
Lovely company and exceptional quality.

Mlouye makes bags at that price point that are very similar in style to the Puzzle.

I am going to be contrarian though and say that while I find most designer bags vastly overpriced these days, that comparatively the Loewe Puzzle feels fairly priced for the work, materials and level of skill required to make a designer bag. I'm just annoyed I never bought it when it still had the metal feet. If you always wanted a puzzle anything else is likely going to feel like a consolation price.

I'd also add that £500-700 is a tricky price point, it's mostly the heavily social media pushed direct to consumer brands that are fine but not amazing. A brand like Tsatsas sits above this but delivers better value for money in terms of materials used and skill. (I'm just using that brand randomly, it's a very specific style.)

Goodness, those Mlouye bags are … uncanny. I also recognised references (really quite close references) to at least two other big name designer ranges. Would be interested to know how this comes about.

Independent place near me.

Amazing craftwomanship!

tinboxangel.com

Strathberry
Aspinal
Kaai

I have a couple of bags from Honey & Toast. Small scale, UK made, lovely quality and in the £200 range. I can't fault them for style and quality.
https://honeyandtoast.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuYit4vfmhQMVUpdQBh0c7w8sEAAYASAAEgJpbfD_BwE

I'm obsessed with Guibert at the moment - https://guibert.fr/en/

Have you thought about buying from an independent designer ? I've got bags from two and would highly recommend both - Williams Handmade and Coterie Leather. You can discuss commissioning a specific size, design, colour etc. They also offer workshops where you could make your own.

This is my Guibert bag. The quality is excellent and the price is reasonable.

The Allure from Guibert is also beautiful.

Thanks everyone going to look into all these suggestions.

Love the idea of commissioning one.

The budget is more what I'm prepared to spend I recognise seems arbitrary. I'm just sure that with the big names so much of what you spend is the cost of the branding.

Bought a Mansur Gavriel mini mini bucket bag in sand in their winter sale. Quality is great, far better than expected and the size, perfect. I wear it mostly crossbody. I use it most days. It has really filled a handbag shaped-hole I did not know I had! It's proved so useful, am contemplating one in a different colour.

demellierlondon.com/products/the-vancouver-taupe-smooth

DeMellier Vancouver?

Perhaps too ‘high street’ but I’ve always had good experiences with FOSSIL bags.