Designer handbags have long been regarded as the epitome of style, craftsmanship, and status. When you’re paying thousands for a handbag, you’d expect premium materials and the workers to be treated fairly. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Recently, designer brands owned by LVMH have been called out for questionable practices, including using undocumented workers in Italy. Dior was reportedly paying just $57, before materials, to make bags that retail for $2,800.

As for the quality, you might be surprised to learn they're not always better than mid-tier brands. Many designer bags are made with coated canvas or plastic-based leathers, even though they’re priced like they’re handcrafted from the rarest materials. Designer brands continue to cut corners while raising prices every year.

So how do they keep us believing these bags are worth it? Let’s dissect how the luxury industry builds that illusion.

How Designer Brands Manipulate Consumers

Most designer handbag brands are owned by luxury conglomerates such as LVMH, Kering, and Richemont. These companies know that pricing handbags goes beyond materials and craftsmanship. It’s more about selling access, identity, and aspiration. They do this through these key strategies:

• Creating Desire Through Identity Markers — Luxury handbags are powerful status symbols. They signal wealth, success, and belonging. Brands know people will pay thousands to be seen with an accessory with their logo or signature design because it's a shortcut for consumers to place themselves in a certain class or status.

• Social Proof and Celebrity Influence — Their marketing departments spend millions to ensure their bags are seen in the right places, including the arms of celebrities and influencers.

• “It’s an Investment” — Some people justify the splurge by calling these bags an investment. With pristine, unused Hermès or Chanel bags, that might be true. But for the most part, handbags lose value the moment you carry them.

• Artificial Scarcity and Exclusivity — Brands create desire by limiting access. Hermès is a master at this. You can’t just walk into a store and buy a Birkin. In most cases, you need to build a spending history first, often buying items you may not even want, just to be offered the chance to purchase the coveted bag.

The Reality of Production Costs

At the end of the day, you’re mostly paying for the marketing, the story, and the prestige of the brand, and the feeling of exclusivity that comes with it.

If you’re curious about what it costs to make a luxury bag, check out Tanner Leatherstein's YouTube channel. He's a leather expert who cuts open designer handbags to show exactly what they’re made of. I was surprised to learn that top designer bags only cost around $160 to $200 to make with materials and labor, while charging more than 10x the markup.

So what are you really paying for?

• Marketing and Celebrity Endorsements — Glossy ads and commercials, influencer sponsorships, celebrity placements, over-the-top photoshoots, billboards, etc. Yes, you're helping to pay for that nepo baby's seven-figure ad campaign.

• Brand Prestige and Logos — Often, you’re paying for the logo itself, not necessarily for better materials or craftsmanship. Would Chanel bags be as desirable without the CC logo?

• Shareholder Profits — Since many luxury brands are publicly traded, part of the markup goes toward keeping investors happy, not into improving the bags.

• Mass Production Behind the Scenes — Even brands that claim "handmade" status often rely on mass production methods in large factories, using cost-saving shortcuts along the way.

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What Really Makes a Handbag “Luxury”?

If you want to buy something from these brands, go for it. Maybe you like the design and the history of the brand. Maybe you enjoy the feeling that comes with owning something deemed luxury. That’s totally fine, especially if you can afford it.

Some will say that if everyone can afford it, it’s not really luxury. For them, luxury is the idea of knowing most people can’t have it.

Personally, I don’t buy into that. To me, real luxury is about quality, craftsmanship, and functionality. I want bags that are beautiful, made to last, and that I can actually use, not fragile status symbols I have to treat like they belong in a museum.

There are plenty of brands out there making gorgeous, well-crafted handbags at fair prices, without relying on logos or psychological manipulation. Luxury can simply be a bag that makes you feel good every time you carry it.

20 Ethical Mid-Luxury Handbag Brands That Are Worth Your Money

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When I say "mid-luxury," I’m referring to brands that offer the same high quality as top designer labels, just without the sky-high prices. These are often labeled as mid-tier or mid-luxury, but really, many of them create top-notch bags while keeping their prices relatively accessible.

Most are independently owned unless noted otherwise. Ironically, today's biggest designer brands started out as small, independent ateliers, just like these, before they were snapped up by luxury conglomerates.

If you have specific requirements, like vegan materials or detailed factory information, I always recommend doing your own research to make sure a brand aligns with your values.

Elleme 🇫🇷 — Paris-based brand known for its minimalist, sculptural handbags crafted in Italy. Focused on timeless design and superior craftsmanship, Elleme combines high-quality Italian leather with understated elegance, offering luxury bags at a more accessible price point.

Verafied 🇺🇸 — New York slow fashion brand focused on timeless, high-quality bags made in small batches. They use ethically sourced byproduct leather, avoid overproduction with pre-orders, and prioritize sustainability, fair labor, and zero-waste packaging.

DeMellier 🇬🇧 — London-based brand founded by Mireia Llusia-Lindh, offering ethically crafted, minimalist handbags made in Spain using sustainably sourced leathers. Each purchase funds vaccines for children in need through their “A Bag, A Life” initiative. Favored by royals and fashion editors, DeMellier blends timeless design with social impact.

Freja New York 🇺🇸 — A New York-based brand crafting minimalist, functional handbags from premium vegan ultrafiber leather. Founded by Jenny Lei, Freja focuses on timeless designs like the Paloma Tote and Caroline Bag, all handcrafted in small batches in China with a commitment to sustainability and transparency.

Behno 🇺🇸 — New York-based brand founded by Shivam Punjya, offering ethically made handbags crafted in India using Italian leathers. Their designs feature minimalist aesthetics with signature knot details, and the brand emphasizes fair labor practices and sustainability.

Bob Ore 🇺🇸 — Beverly Hills-based brand offering affordable luxury handbags crafted from genuine leather. With minimalist, functional designs and global shipping, Bob Oré focuses on accessible prices while delivering timeless everyday bags.

Manu Atelier 🇹🇷 — Founded in Istanbul by sisters Beste and Merve Manastır, Manu Atelier blends modern design with traditional Turkish craftsmanship. Their handbags are handcrafted in-house using locally sourced, minimally treated leathers, emphasizing sustainability through zero-waste practices and ethical production.

Auteliers Auguste 🇫🇷 — Parisian brand crafting minimalist, architectural handbags inspired by modernist design. Handmade in Italy and Portugal using premium, sustainably sourced leathers, they offer timeless pieces with a direct-to-consumer model that keeps luxury quality at a fair price.

Oleada 🇺🇸 — New York-based, women-founded brand creating convertible, minimalist bags designed for modern professionals. Founded by Tiffany Zhou and Tracy Liu, Oleada blends Scandinavian functionality with Italian craftsmanship, offering timeless designs at accessible prices.

Little Liffner 🇸🇪 — Stockholm-based brand founded by Paulina Liffner von Sydow in 2012, known for minimalist handbags with sculptural silhouettes. Crafted in a family-run Italian factory using premium leathers, the brand blends Scandinavian functionality with Italian craftsmanship, offering timeless designs at accessible prices.

Parisa Wang 🇺🇸 — New York-based brand offering timeless, full-grain leather handbags crafted in the same ateliers as luxury labels, but at a fraction of the price. Designed to be worn and loved every day, their bags combine elegance with practical, thoughtful design.

Coccinelle 🇮🇹 — Founded in 1978 in Parma, Italy, Coccinelle is a leather goods brand known for its elegant, functional handbags crafted from fine Italian leather. Now owned by South Korea’s E-Land Group, the brand blends Italian craftsmanship with global reach, offering accessible luxury through timeless designs and a commitment to quality.

Fauvette Paris 🇫🇷 — Independent Parisian brand crafting vintage-inspired handbags and accessories in France. Founded by Claire Rischette, each piece features timeless design, 24K gold-plated hardware, and is made in small batches using premium French and Italian leathers.

Bembien 🇺🇸 — Brooklyn-based brand blending French coastal style with artisan craftsmanship. Their woven leather and natural fiber bags are handmade by global artisans, with 10% of proceeds supporting women-led weaving communities.

Fleuron 🇫🇷 — Parisian brand crafting minimalist, architectural handbags inspired by modernist design. Handmade in Italy using premium, sustainably sourced leathers, they offer timeless pieces with a direct-to-consumer model that keeps luxury quality at a fair price.

Maison Rinceau 🇫🇷 — Parisian brand crafting sculptural, architectural handbags inspired by classical ornamentation. Designed in France and handcrafted in Naples, their leather goods blend timeless elegance with everyday functionality, offering modern heirlooms that balance beauty and practicality.

RSVP Paris 🇫🇷 — French leather goods brand crafting limited-edition handbags in France and Spain using premium materials. Known for minimalist, timeless designs, each bag is individually numbered and comes with a one-year repair guarantee.

Polène 🇫🇷 — One of the more well-known mid-priced luxury handbag brands. Founded in France, they are known for their sculptural, minimalist handbags crafted by artisans in Spain. Recently, LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton acquired a stake in Polène. While this brings growth opportunities, there’s concern that Polène could follow bigger luxury brands in raising prices and losing its small-brand charm.

Strathberry 🏴 — Edinburgh-based brand founded in 2013 by husband-and-wife team Guy and Leeanne Hundleby, known for its structured, minimalist handbags featuring the signature gold bar closure. Handcrafted in Spain using premium leathers, Strathberry offers accessible luxury with a focus on quality and timeless design.

Songmont 🇨🇳 — Founded in China, Songmont's bags are handcrafted in small batches by skilled artisans, including a group of elder women known as the “Granny Team.” They also offer vegan options made from recycled ocean plastics.

Would you trade designer bags for mid-luxury alternatives? Let us know in the comments below.

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