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15 Affordable Designer Bags To Invest In Now
From influencer-approved contemporary styles to the very best of vintage, here are the best styles to shop around the £300 mark.
There’s a lot of stuff out there, and not all fashion pieces are created equal. Luckily, the ELLE editors know their way around a shopping rail, and when it comes to helping you find those niche brands worth knowing to high-street hits of quality, and a few vintage treasures too, our ELLE Edits showcase the very best of the season.
There is nothing quite like the thrill of unboxing an affordable designer bag you spotted in the sales. Or that feeling of discovering a new niche handbag brand you can actually afford. Because, as pretty as they are, the OG designer bags feel totally out of reach for most of us mere mortals now (the price of Chanel bags has tripled since the pandemic, according to the Handbag Clinic). So in 2025, during a cost of living crisis, these kind of investment purchases are just that – big investments.
The fashion industry has shifted in the past decade. Old school luxury houses have become even less accessible, while the high street has democratised to the point of becoming completely unsustainable in its quest for faster, cheaper fashion. This chasm has left room for a growing new sector: bridge brands.
And with the rise of these under-the-radar labels has come a fresh perspective – we’re talking directional designs, eco-conscious fabrics and a new smart/casual take on accessorising. From Neous and Manu Atelier, to DeMellier and Dragon Diffusion, these handbag labels have gone from 'rising' to household names for good reason.
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The best affordable designer bags, at a glance
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Then again, an icon is an icon for a reason. If you've dreamt of buying a Louis Vuitton Pochette since you were a teenager, or you live and breathe Chloé's boho aesthetic, you're not going to want to settle for anything less.
There's good news and bad news. Some handbags – like the Birkin – are so canonical they will never go below a certain (astronomical) price point. But there are ways to get a slice of your favourite luxury fashion house by shopping old-season at sample sales and on sites like The Outnet. Or, you could take your quest further and tick sustainability boxes by investing in something pre-loved instead. We've rifled through ReSelfridges, Farfetch Pre-owned and Vestiaire Collective to bring you a mix of great vintage bags in this edit.
Here, see the ultimate guide to the best affordable designer bags of 2025.
The Affordable Designer Bags You'll Find In ELLE Editors' Wardrobes
Dragon Diffusion Santa Croce Big woven leather tote
Craig Wright was supplying luxury brands with his signature woven leather for 20 years before he founded Dragon Diffusions in 1985. The handbag brand is having a real moment – you can't swing a cat in London without seeing someone carrying one of these slouchy basket-weave totes over their shoulder.
Ganni is our go-to for bags that combine capital-F fun with the kind of practicality a girl needs when her day starts at a sunrise Pilates class and ends in a bustling bar. The brand's most recognisable style is probably the Bou – a shapely, squat shoulder bag with a cute braided handle – just happens to be priced at the very friendly £300 mark.
JW Anderson The Bumper pebbled-leather shoulder bag
Across his 17-year career, JW Anderson has more than proved himself as a bag designer – he's churned out so many fashion hits, from the punky Pierce to Loewe's iconic Puzzle. There's a myriad of his namesake brand's Bumper bags on The Outnet as we speak, so if you're down with shopping old-season colourways (in this case timeless monogram canvas and nude leather), you can nab one for half the price.
Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Pochette Clutch
The best way to secure yourself the ultimate designer bag for less? Shop vintage. With the exception of a Chanel 2.55 or the appreciates-faster-than-your-flat Birkin, most luxury accessories are cheaper second hand but retain their quality and iconicity. Case in point: this canvas Louis Vuitton Pochette, complete with cross-body strap and that instantly-recognisable monogramming, is less than £300 on Hewi.
Raffia bags are all the rage this season, but how do they translate beyond boho looks or the beach? Cue DeMellier's neat-and-tidy take with its boxy tote shape and leather trims. Trust the cult bag brand to put a cosmopolitan, work-ready spin on any trend.
Mulberry Bayswater leather handbag Mulberry
In the midst of the Y2k renaissance, and 22 years since Nicholas Knightly debuted this iconic design, the Mulberry Bayswater just became cool again. Snap the OG version up while it's still affordable on re-sales sites (because, if the Chloé Padlock re-issue is anything to go by, prices will be soaring soon).
The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton is a big fan of DeMellier's De Nano Montreal bag; she owns this exact tan colourway and a navy version too. This versatile handbag, defined by its ladylike silhouette and gold-tone clasp, is currently reduced by 25 per cent on the brand's website.
LA-based brand Staud is another mainstay in many a fashion insider’s wardrobe, and has stayed true to its commitment to affordable price points despite its soaring popularity. Signatures like the Moon tote will never date.
Aesther Ekme specialises in slick, sculptural bags made from leather sourced from tanneries approved by the Leather Working Group. A minimalist dream, the brand's architectural, angular shapes make a statement in the most sophisticated way: expect shoulder bags masterfully curved to slip around your shoulder, and cross-bodies that are nipped and tucked to create new, outfit-refreshing shapes.
A brand that understands the power of a viral moment, Coperni was propelled to the forefront of fashion when its SS23 show featured Bella Hadid having a dress spray-painted onto her live in front of the captivated front row. The best way to buy into the brand, however, is via its excellent bag designs: you've likely seen the oval-shaped Swipe before, but we also love this statement-making heart design.
When you're looking for investment pieces on old-season sites like The Outnet, you'll find that black gets snapped up fast but bolder colours and prints hang around. But, as far as we're concerned, orange is a neutral – it goes with everything from khaki green and navy, to camel and hot-pink.
Staud, one of the OG bridge brands, is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year. We can't imagine a world in which we weren't lusting after the LA-based label's teeny weeny handbags. Case in point, the Harlow: crafted in chocolate suede and topped with a polished gilt buckle.
See by Chloé Hana suede and pebbled-leather cross-body bag
Chloé might have come full circle back to boho, courtesy of Chemena Kamali, but its little sister See by Chloé has been right here all along. And, for that reason, there's never been a better time to shop these diffusion bags. You can expect plenty more where the Hana came from – lots of suede, studs, tassels and ring detailing.
Manu Atelier is always one of our go-to bag brands for affordable luxury. Loved by Elsa Hosk, Camille Charrière, Anne-Laure Mais and Emili Sindlev, the brand's chain-trimmed Kesme bag is currently 45 per cent off at Farfetch.
Jacquemus Jacquemus Orange Le Chiquito Mini Top Handle Bag
The best place to look for discounted designer bags is The Outnet. Jacquemus' cult Le Chiquito style – loved by Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid – retails at around £600, but it's 40 per cent off in old-season colourways.
Abigail Southan is our Senior Fashion Ecommerce Editor and has five years' experience as a writer and editor in the industry. Abigail has a BA in History from the University of Bristol and an MA in Fashion Journalism from Central Saint Martins. Abigail currently covers all things style and shopping across titles including Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Esquire and Red. On a daily basis, she helps readers buy better with how-to-wear guides, first-person product reviews and deep dives into the latest trends. Previously, Abigail has worked for The Sunday Times’ Style and Fabulous magazine as their first ecommerce writer and was a founding editor of Sun Selects. She has also written for Net-a-Porter, I-D, Man About Town, Wonderland and 1 Granary, and has interviewed the likes of Paris Hilton, Dua Lipa and Christopher Bailey. You can follow Abigail on Instagram at @abigailsouthan.
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