My first, and only designer bag investment to date was towards a Mulberry Roxanne (now a discontinued model). At the time it was considered by my friends and family as an outrageous purchase, and I unfortunately do have a tendency to spontaneously purchase things and get bored of them within weeks. Alternatively, I'll stand and stare at an item in a shop for hours, buy it, and then return it the next day, wasting valuable time (for a branded shopaholic, I don't necessarily end up with much shopping despite going shopping a lot).
However, my Mulberry has been by far my best ever investment. It didn't come cheap, but almost two years later, it's still something I carry around on my arm with the pride of a brand new purchase. What I love about it most is that it LOOKS like an expensive bag without being loudly branded...aside from the little engraved mulberry trees on the gold studs, there is no indication that my bag is a designer bag.
This is precisely why I've been unable to follow up with a second investment: it appears that less coverage of brands on bags = more expensive. Sometimes it is tempting to splash out on a Louis Vuitton Speedy or a Burberry Nova, because despite coming with hefty prices, they do start cheaper than Mulberrys, Chloes, Pradas and YSLs. But do I really want to spend money on a bag that screams out BRAND as opposed to BEAUTY? There is no doubt that these bags are beautiful to look at, but take away the repeat logo pattern and it's just a plain bag. Put the logo pattern back and it's a luxury designer bag, but most definitely not a designer bag that I can use when I'm fifty.
Who knows, perhaps one day I'll be spotted with a Speedy on my arm, as the Monogram Canvas print is something I secretly crave but am trying not to give in to. Below are the bags I believe will end with your credit card being snapped and your house being seized, but they will live in your wardrobe until you grow old (provided you still have a home).
YSL Muse oversized leather tote, £1,225
I spent months coveting this in Selfridges, as it greeted me in the entrance every time. I adore big bags, as I like to carry a lot of things, and this would accommodate everything including laptop and books.
Prada Saffiano leather tote, £1,150
The colour of this bag is absolutely divine, and whilst it is extremely expensive for such a plain bag, it will go with everything. The gold-plated hardware adds glamour and luxury.
Prada Saffiano leather top handle, £895
Another Prada thrown in, but I adore the box shape of this bag - strong, structured bodies with top handles make me melt. Unfortunately the bag is on the small side for me, but would make a wonderful investment for people that don't need to carry their entire bedroom in their bag.
Mulberry Bayswater in coral goat's leather, £750
The Bayswater is Mulberry's most iconic bag, and this fresh new colour is gorgeous and uplifting. It's a little more expensive than a standard Bayswater to compensate for its luxurious goat leather, but a worthy investment towards owning a classic bag in a more unique colour.
My colour selection for some of these is very reflective of my own taste, as I tend to reach for brown and beige when accessorizing - I haven't had the urge to purchase a black bag in years. However, all of these bags are available in black along with a range of colours, in case you're not an "old lady" like me.
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