11 Quiet Luxury Bags That Are Low-Key, Anti-Trend, and Peak Cool
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 logoless bags finished with the brand's signature metal hardware.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Saint Laurent Manhattan Bag
Like the city it's named for, Saint Laurent's Manhattan bag is sophisticated, elegant, and timeless.
Tory Burch Lee Radziwill Bag
Named after Lee Radziwill, this Tory Burch bag mirrors the late fashion icon's style with its structured silhouette, top handle, and timeless design.
The Row 90's Bag
The '90s are defined by pared-down minimalism. That has been distilled into The Row's 90's Bag, an unfussy, simple leather baguette in such high demand it now requires a preorder and a months-long wait to receive one.
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.
This post was published at an earlier date and has been updated.
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.
-
I'm an Accessory Designer and Fashion Creative—30 Chic Fall Items I Have My Eye On
Bring on the elevated outfits.
By Jennifer Camp Forbes
-
The Accessory Micro-Trend Making a Big Comeback in Copenhagen, Paris, and NYC
Sorry, minimalists.
By Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
-
Suede Is Fall's Most Expensive-Looking Trend—35 Items That Won't Cost You More Than $350
Thank me later.
By Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
-
I'm in the Market for a New Bottega Veneta Bag, so I Took 3 for a Test Run
Here's my honest review.
By Eliza Huber
-
These 7 Wildly Popular It Bags Will Be Everywhere During Fashion Month
You heard it here first.
By Allyson Payer
-
I'm an L.A.-Based Fashion Stylist—31 Chic Nordstrom Picks I'd Like to See My Clients In
I may have to get them for myself as well.
By Jennifer Camp Forbes
-
These Chic Under-$100 Buys Have Me Absolutely Giddy for Fall
Your friends will be doing a double take.
By Jennifer Camp Forbes
-
Bella Hadid Just Wore Fall 2024's Richest Bag Color Trend
If you order just one fall bag trend…
By Allyson Payer