I have £2k for a beautiful bag - which one, though?

[RedPandaFluff]

I am fortunate enough to have been given £2k by a very dear relative and instructed to treat myself to a new handbag.

This will be a treasured item (because of the person I will always associate with it) and a massive, unprecedented splurge.

So . . . what do I get? I want beautiful quality rather than the usual brand names . . . and not a work bag, as I work from home. A small crossbody, probably. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Not on Dior, Chanel, Loewe, etc

and not stocked at Harvey Nicks.

Discounts like the ones described on the post I replied to I’ve seen on Mulberry, Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Boyy, Acne, etc, but never on the prime luxury brands we were discussing.

Only time I’ve seen huge discounts on top brands was when stores opened after lockdown and Harrods had an outlet in Westfield London. They had a few premium bags every day at 50% off, seasonal models and colours. I got a very fancy and colourful Puzzle for £995.

For the Loewe “special prices” you need to know someone and (usually) be a long standing customer. They do similar at other Houses / brands but only offer them to good customers.

By the way, if you don’t mind odd colours, the Loewe outlet stores (Bicester Village and the outlets in Spain) usually have very good deals.

I did a reverse image search and am still none the wiser on name @PeggyMitchellsCameo .

This is my favourite Gucci.

Here

That’s not been my experience in Gucci, Dior, Celine, Loweve or YSLfor example (btw I haven’t brought from all these brands I just like to look) I’ve heard that Katie Spade and perhaps Coach produce for discount villages but I didn’t know if a) that’s true and b) they sell at Bicester.

You won’t see the discounts on Loewe, you have to chat to the reps. I hadn’t bought anything from the shop in question (Selfridges) but I was wearing a Loewe belt

Selfridges do have puzzle bags in unusual colours/materials etc in the sales.
My sister bought the gingham one a few years ago for a decent discount.

I know i won’t see them. I’m “friends” with a Loewe store manager in Spain (more than acquaintance but less than close friends).

I wouldn’t get Chanel /Dior etc as lower quality these days - unless vintage.

i got a vintage Hermes (1980s) for £2k in the South of France, it’s gorgeous, doesn’t have big H logo just the older more subtle Hermes logo. Sorry that’s no help to you though.

i have the
medium Bottega Andiamo in fondant, it’s my all time favourite bag, the quality is fantastic. Used it every day October to April for 3 years, including chucking under seat on a flight and in over head locker. Still looks new! (To me anyway( 😜)

I have a Gucci Jacki 1966 and that doesn’t have a big Gucci logo, so Gucci doesn’t necessarily mean horrible
logo…

finally, check out on Instagram tanner.leatherstein
This guy takes a knife to designer bags and works out if they’re worth the quality, also investigates things like Does Made in Italy always mean made in Italy…
a high scoring bag for him was the Ferrago Hug.
https://www.ferragamo.com/shop/gb/en/special-collections/hug-bag-maincategory/hug-bag-tophandle

i dont have this bag but I do have the Hug wallet in black and it’s fabulous- beautiful soft black leather and pale pink interior.
he also posted recently that Lori Piano is not worth it.

Wow, what a fantastic post @MokaEfti

Harvey Nics (not Nicks) do stock Loewe - I bought a Loewe bag from there at a discount (and not a secret one!). That's why I mentioned them. Don't know if they stock Dior or Chanel.

The first time I saw the Puzzle bag was on Sali Hughes' instagram years ago and loved it. I had no idea it was designer until I finally found it online.

I can technically afford it as I do spend that much on "frivolous" things but that would be a few months worth of beauty kits and perfumes etc. I'd buy it in an instant if someone gave me £2k with the instructions to buy a bag!

Has OP made a decision on what to buy? I saw the original post at the time but stopped checking after all the scrooges and misers descended.

it’s perfectly possible to buy an expensive bag AND donate to a food bank And no it is not different spending a fortune on a expensive family holiday. You can easily argue that there are cheaper ways of having a great family experience in the Uk. Hypocrisy at its finest. Mind your own business in regard to what others choose to spend THEIR money on unless you’re asked specifically to commend on the value. You and others have NO right to use social poverty to try and guilt trip others especially when you have no idea if they already give to charity or not.

Nicks or Nics? 😂😂😂😂😂

there’s no Loewe corner in London anymore, was there for just a couple of seasons

you were lucky then.

it’s not the norm and not on black friday deals (apart from lockdown times)

OP, do not wait for a discount, might not happen

Yes, and you are a saint
😇

happy now?

I agree about Chanel/Dior quality. It has declined & yet prices have risen.

Loewe, Bottega, Fendi all are better quality. Can’t comment on Gucci. I have Gucci shoes but not a bag. I also agree doesn’t have to be ostentatious if you go for horsebit/Jackie rather than the GG logo.

I must have been lucky then but I got it online not in store.

My Gucci bag and shoes are over 20 years old now and still look really good. As an aside the turnlock on my bag needs looking at as it keeps sticking. Do Gucci do a repair service?

Agree that in the main for a lot of brands the price has gone up but the quality has gone down. I'm staggered by the price of Mulberry bags now, but again I haven't bought one since my Bayswater about 15 years ago.

But its only a benefit for your family - the cost of your summer holiday wherever you are going would be so much better spent if you donated it to a food bank.....

I’m not sure about Dior / Celine, but it definitely applies to Gucci.

This is very common for most brands at outlets. As I said just do your research if buying at an outlet. Make sure that it’s a reputable model that is or has been previously sold on their websites or main stores.

@MokaEfti my wallet is reaching the end. I love the Hug wallet, the £550 one. I am just reducing my hours at work and plan to retire in about 18 months. My leaving present will go towards it as my retirement treat.

Ferragamo have always been great. I had their classic shoes in my 20s and bought them again for DS's wedding a couple of years ago.

@vyvyanne you do realise some of us contribute significantly to charity already don't you. Perhaps more than the handbag spend. It's been years since I said it, and it was commonplace and jokey when it were all field around MNet but please, DFOD.

Why not have a little browse here: https://www.cocoon.club/collections/pre-loved-designer-bags?page=0

Lots of choice and good pricing, I use them all the time and the quality control is super strict. Downside is of course you won't get the original packaging and dustbag if that's what you're after.

@NeedWineNow

www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/nst/handbags-care-guide

@TheSquareMile That’s really helpful, thank you.

@Rina66thank you! I was actually scared I would lose it half way through and knew I wouldn’t have the will to type it all out again…
re reading it there’s a mistake. I implied I’ve just taken my bottega on just one flight. It’s actually been on multiple flights and taken a shit load of abuse.

id like to take the opportunity to give the heads up to Stow London. I found them via Tanner Leatherstein or whatever his name is - the guy I namechecked in my earlier post. I bought the Curve bag in Camel. I had to wait a while to receive it (pre order). It was £390. It was 100% worth the wait and the £390. (One criticism - it has an attached purse so I can find my bits and bobs, but no zip pockets inside so everything else kind of gets lost in the depths of the bag, and I’m kind of messy so it’s full of god knows what). However, other than that, it’s absolutely brilliant and I highly recommend this company .. PS I DO NOT WORK FOR THEM
https://stowlondon.co.uk/

Anyway to the OP @RedPandaFluffyour budget is £2k so you could buy 4 from Stow London and have change so it’s not really what you’re looking for - I agree with PP who said you’d be better off buying just one bag for the £2k and remembering the lovely person who gave you the money every time you use said bag. If your dream bag is over £2k I would say top it up and go for it. Don’t rush your decision.

By the way, I’ve had a cryptic email from Stow London - reading between the lines they’re saying their stuff is going up in price imminently …so now is a good time to buy from them. (Pls believe me that I’m not promoting them and can share screenshot of said email plus pics of my bag if anyone is interested).

@RosesAndHelleboresthat’s so lovely, you will enjoy that wallet! Good for you.

NB To all the naysayers, do you also tell people not to buy art, sculpture, bespoke furniture, invest in fine wines, (I could go on.)….. if it costs more than £35.50???
Have you no appreciation of the finer things in life? The things that make life worth living? The things that are beautiful and practical at the same time? Ok so some designers are ripping people off. Some are not. It’s up to us to discern beauty and quality, from labels and showing offy logos and bling. I love my vintage Hermes for its own sake - I fell in love with it before I even knew it was an Hermes. I could see it was a beautiful bag of fantastic quality. Actually, a piece of art. And art by its nature is subjective. If the person who makes the purchase loves it, then job done. And an artisan is happy that someone appreciates and values their beautiful handiwork.

I don’t know why this is all underlined, but I’m going to press post before it gets lost.

No one has mentioned it specifically but I adore my Celine medium (it’s cross body size) belt bag. I have it in dark green and it goes with almost everything in my wardrobe and good for smart or casual. It’s the perfect size too. Sadly recently discontinued but you could get a great pre-loved one.

I would love a flamenco - so beautiful..but the leather is indeed buttery soft (as a pp commented) and I know in my care it would look battered so quickly that I couldn’t be trusted.