The Experts Have Spoken—These 6 Designer Bags Are Always Worth the Investment

When it comes to investing in a designer handbag, it's obviously important to find a style you really, truly love. Equally important (and often overlooked) is educating yourself on which handbags will hold their value and never go out of style. The exclusive Birkin, for example, is forecasted to double in value in the next 10 years. But that's not the only bag worth scooping up.

To give you a sense of the bags worth your money, we tapped the experts at Rebag and Fashionphile (two trusted online destinations for pre-owned luxury) to spill on the styles you need to try. "Hermès and Chanel are the leading brands with handbags that retain the most resale value over time. More specifically, the Birkin 25 and Mini Kelly, which are both are very desirable and sought after in the luxury community," shares Roxana Codetta, procurement specialist at Fashionphile.

Elizabeth Layne, chief marketing officer of Rebag, echoes this, adding Louis Vuitton among those two. "Per our most recent Clair Report, Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton are among the most valuable luxury brands, boasting 110%, 82%, and 81% average value retention, respectively."

While the value of luxury handbags can fluctuate due to trends or buzz, these three iconic brands in certain styles have the most resale value. Keep scrolling to check out more on the top bags you should buy.

1. The Hermès Mini Kelly

"The Mini Kelly ranks at the top with its playful size, retailing around $9500 for leather and can go up to $28500 for exotics like alligator and crocodile. As to how much they retain their value, a Mini Kelly in Black Epsom with gold hardware resells for around $30,000. Exotics go for as high as $50,000 in the resale market." — Codetta

2. The Hermès Birkin 25

"Next is the Birkin 25, which retails around $11,000 in leathers and resells for around $26,000. It is worth mentioning that textile, color, and hardware are all factors that play a role in the resale market. Epsom and Togo [are] the most popular textiles, while gold, Etoupe, and black are the best-selling colors." — Codetta

3. The Chanel Classic Flap Bag

"For Chanel, the classic Flaps have withstood the test of time. When looking specifically at which size, a mini rectangular in caviar leather is one that stands out. The style and textile combination is longer produced and thus causes a large influx in demand. This item retailed for around $4000 and is easily reselling over $8000. Gold hardware selling the best." — Codetta

4. The Louis Vuitton Neverfull

"An honorable mention goes to the Louis Vuitton Neverfull. This workhorse tote is the brand's bread and butter and is a classic. First released in 2007, the bag retailed around $600 depending on size. Now the MM size is $2030. With different iterations of the bag selling for much higher, like the limited-edition Stephen Sprouse roses and graffiti collections from 2009 that sell upward of $3000. This is a bag that you will have no trouble reselling and only goes up in value as price increases occur many times a year." — Codetta

"The Louis Vuitton Neverfull is the French maison's most valuable, retaining a remarkable 136% average value in 2023. This exceptionally high retention can be attributed to the wait list the brand imposed for the iconic style last year, leading the already-popular Neverfull to a newfound degree of scarcity." — Layne

5. Hermès Constance Bag

"As well-suited for the office as it is for Sunday brunch, the Constance stands as Hermès's highest-value bag of 2023, achieving an impressive 127% average value retention. Its elegant design and subtle, luxurious details make it an unparalleled investment piece for any discerning collector." — Layne

6. The Chanel Deauville Bag

"With Chanel's biannual handbag price increase strategy, secondary market prices for the brand’s highly coveted bags have correspondingly risen. The Deauville Tote, with an average 114% value retention, is the label’s top style. Its versatile design, which blends a casual, oversize silhouette with the maison's iconic chain strap, makes it perfect for everyday use, travel, and warm-weather getaways alike." — Layne