The Luxury List is a monthly column on all things luxury, exploring cult items from heritage brands, tapping the foremost experts in the fashion space, and doing deep dives into the investment pieces that are worth it.
Conversations about designer handbags typically revolve around one specific phrase, “It bags.” That saying has, however, recently been replaced with “quiet luxury bags,” which combine ease, subtlety, and quality craftsmanship without prominent logos. Such discussions are unfolding everywhere, from our editor Slack channels to TikTok to The Wall Street Journal. But this isn’t to say these bags are completely unidentifiable despite a lack of branding. Rather, they have details such as signature clasps and unique silhouettes that only astute fashion observers would recognize.
Though there are a number of cult bags that fall into the camp of quiet luxury, Savette is a noteworthy newcomer. According to Net-a-Porter Market Director Libby Page, sleek silhouettes from Savette resonate with shoppers, making it one of the only brands to successfully break into the luxury-bag market across the retailer in a long time. This signals a rise in the quiet luxury category overall, as the label joins the league of investment brands such as Hermès, Khaite, Celine, and Prada that are as quiet as they are cool. Here, see the low-key luxury bags primed to be in your closet for many years ahead.
Savette Symmetry Bag
Savette is one of the breakout brands of the last several years. As the brainchild of founder and designer Amy Zurek, it is known for logo-less bags finished with the brand’s signature metal hardware.
Savette
Symmetry 19 Leather Shoulder Bag
$1750
Savette
Symmetry 19 Leather Shoulder Bag
$1750$1254
SAVETTE
Symmetry Pochette Leather Tote
$1750
Toteme T-Lock Bag
Inconspicuous, elegant, and unrecognizable except for the subtle T clasp, Toteme’s T-Lock bag is one of the most notable bag launches in recent memory.
Toteme
T-Lock Top Handle Tan Grain
$1390
Toteme
T-Lock Leather Shoulder Bag
$1390
Prada Re-Edition 1995 Bag
The Prada Re-Edition 1995 bag was famously carried by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, a fashion icon known for her quiet luxury style. Designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons ushered the timeless bag back into the fashion space, making it an investment buy worth owning.
Prada
Re-Edition 1995 Brushed-Leather Large Handbag
$4100
Prada
Re-Edition 1995 Mini Bag
$3350
Prada
Re-Edition 1995 Medium Bag
$3800
Khaite Olivia Bag
At Khaite, Cate Holstein designs pieces for New Yorkers. Among them is the Olivia bag, a style that masters the balance of simplicity and modern cool.
Khaite
Olivia Leather Medium Hobo Bag
$1700
Khaite
Olivia Medium Suede Hobo Bag
$1900
Khaite
Olivia Large Raffia Hobo Bag
$2100
Bottega Veneta Arco Bag
With Matthieu Blazy at the helm of Bottega Veneta, the brand has reached a new level of buzz and distilled some of its archival design elements (including woven leather) into some truly seasonless bags, including the Arco Tote.
Bottega Veneta
Arco Small Intrecciato Leather Tote
$3200
Bottega Veneta
Arco Medium Intrecciato Leather Tote
$3500
Bottega Veneta
Arco Mini Intrecciato Leather Tote
$2900
Hermès Kelly Bag
Hermès bags are famous for their long waiting lists and mysterious buying practices as much as they’re known for their cult status among fashion’s most in-the-know insiders. Kelly bags, in particular, are practically free of branding and known for their expert craftsmanship.
Hermes
Kelly Sellier 20 Nata Gris Perle
$31995
Hermes
Barenia Faubourg Kelly Retourne 28 Fauve
$23515
Hermes
Ostrich Kelly Sellier 32 Rouge Vif
$18995
Celine Triomphe Bag
The metal clasp on Celine’s Triomphe bags takes inspiration from the metal chain surrounding the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Otherwise, the bag retains clean and sleek lines, making it a seasonless, functional, and beautiful piece.
Celine
Classique Triomphe Bag
$4150
Celine
Triomphe Shoulder Bag
$3450
Celine
Chain Shoulder Triomphe Bag
$3150
Saint Laurent Manhattan Bag
Like the city it’s named for, Saint Laurent’s Manhattan bag is sophisticated, elegant, and timeless.
Saint Laurent
Manhattan Mini Leather Shoulder Bag
$2100
Saint Laurent
Manhattan Leather Shoulder Bag
$3400
SAINT LAURENT
Manhattan Leather and Canvas Shoulder Bag
$2050
Tory Burch Lee Radziwill Bag
Named after Lee Radziwill, the Tory Burch bag mirrors the late fashion icon’s style with its structured silhouette, top handle, and timeless design.
Tory Burch
Lee Radziwill Leather Double Bag
$1198
Tory Burch
Lee Radziwill Petite Leather Double Bag
$598
Tory Burch
Petite Lee Radziwill Pocket Leather Double Bag
$728$509
The Row ’90s Bag
The ’90s are defined by pared-down minimalism. That has been distilled into The Row’s ’90s bag, an unfussy, simple leather baguette in such high demand it now requires a preorder and a months-long wait to receive one.
The Row
90’s Leather Top Handle Bag
$1190
The Row
90’s Bag
$1090
Métier Perriand Bag
With a line of expertly crafted travel-inspired luxury leather goods, London-based brand Métier should be on your radar for timeless pieces to bring on a flight or road trip.
Métier
Perriand City Leather Tote Bag
$3850
Métier
Perriand All Day Leather Tote
$4150
