There’s a very clear bag hierarchy.
Bags you love > Bags you don’t
Bags you love > Bags you don’t
Is there a bag Hierarchy???
- Thread starter CastoCreations
- Start date
TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others
Hierarchies are totally subjective, brand and bag, even by so-called experts. Someone can take talk about resale prices of a certain brand or fashion status or 'coolness' but those change constantly. What we value the most should be absolutely personal (unless one has decided to start a business).
In some circles a mini Jacquemus Le Chiquito in hot pink maybe the most desirable thing on the planet and in another a Joseph Duclos Diane L20 in Châtaignier.
It's the same with different cultures, generations, gender, nationalities, localities, subcultures and connoisseurs.
Hierarchy depends on how other people are measuring. Price, exclusivity, quality, fashion, resale potential, rare materials, brand recognition.
There are also hierarchies inside every brand, even line. Some people may hate Chanel bags because they have stereotypical views of the person that buys there or because there are too many about, that's not about the bags at all, others may love Chanel bags except CFs and Reissues the so-called 'most desirable' Chanel bags.
E.g. LV and Gucci have many bags more expensive than in Hermes and Chanel (if people are measuring by price). Hermes has simple casual bags, and Fendi, Gucci LV, Ferragamo, BV etc create exotics way out of most people's pockets.
The hierarchy certainly has nothing to to with LVMH, Kering Prada Group, MK Group or parent companies, such nonsense.
There are leather goods manufacturers like Gucci that make for McQueen and Saint Laurent Kering fashion (RTW) brands, Gucci supplies leather for other brands to make their own bags. How can you say one is more or less than another when one is famous for bags, and others are measures by their tailoring or evening gowns.
In some circles a mini Jacquemus Le Chiquito in hot pink maybe the most desirable thing on the planet and in another a Joseph Duclos Diane L20 in Châtaignier.
It's the same with different cultures, generations, gender, nationalities, localities, subcultures and connoisseurs.
Hierarchy depends on how other people are measuring. Price, exclusivity, quality, fashion, resale potential, rare materials, brand recognition.
There are also hierarchies inside every brand, even line. Some people may hate Chanel bags because they have stereotypical views of the person that buys there or because there are too many about, that's not about the bags at all, others may love Chanel bags except CFs and Reissues the so-called 'most desirable' Chanel bags.
E.g. LV and Gucci have many bags more expensive than in Hermes and Chanel (if people are measuring by price). Hermes has simple casual bags, and Fendi, Gucci LV, Ferragamo, BV etc create exotics way out of most people's pockets.
The hierarchy certainly has nothing to to with LVMH, Kering Prada Group, MK Group or parent companies, such nonsense.
There are leather goods manufacturers like Gucci that make for McQueen and Saint Laurent Kering fashion (RTW) brands, Gucci supplies leather for other brands to make their own bags. How can you say one is more or less than another when one is famous for bags, and others are measures by their tailoring or evening gowns.
There’s a very clear bag hierarchy.
Bags you love > Bags you don’t
Everything else is supposition and misinformation!
As far as hierarchy goes taking price and popularity into consideration, it still blows my mind that Bottega Veneta is so close to the top. IMO, I can't think of a single style they've made that I remotely enjoy
I could easily make the argument that various brands that would be considered "top of the top" don't "deserve" those spots, but some of it is just taste.
How is your Strathberry Crescent bag? I am thinking of getting it in that color
.Just for fun, updating my thoughts on this.
Notes:
- The following is based on a US consumer's 2025 impressions.
- The following rank is considering the brands' handbags only, so not considering their ready to wear/ the fashion house as a whole.
Scoring criteria, maximum 10 points in these areas:
-Popularity (simply how many people want/once wanted one of their bags)
-Prestige/aura of exclusivity/brand history (considering historically and today) - some brands with substantial brand history could mess up this aspect if their bags become too popular/easily accessible, and/or their quality tanks
-Physical Quality of their bags (considering historically and today)
Tier 1: Hermes - [10] popularity, [10] prestige, [10] physical quality
Tier 2a: Chanel - [10] popularity, [8-10] prestige, [2-10] physical quality (considering now through historically)
Tier 2b: Delvaux, Asprey, Valextra, Launer - [0-2] popularity, [10] prestige, [9-10] physical quality
Tier 3: LV, Dior - [8-10] popularity, [5] prestige, [5] physical quality
Tier 3a: Celine, Fendi, YSL, Bottega - [8] popularity, [5] prestige, [5] physical quality
Tier 3b: Ferragamo, Mulberry, Loewe - [0-4] popularity, [4] prestige, [5-8] physical quality
Tier 4: Gucci, Chloe, Givenchy - [5] popularity, [0-5] prestige, [3-5] physical quality
*Tier 3-4 may vary a lot depending on who you ask/the specific bag and scenario
Tier 5: everything else like Loro Piana - many of these are more ready to wear brands that happen to make bags, the general rating is something like [0-2] popularity (might have a random it bag momentarily) [0] in terms of their bag heritage and [5ish] the quality might be good or better than 5 but no one is aware/cares very much.
Special notes: Faure le Page and Moynat - I may get disliked for this and I have not owned any of their bags, but I do not consider them historical brands due to a Significant Break from their historical bag making heritage. For Moynat, there was a long period of time where the brand was essentially bankrupt and not making bags; LV parent company then purchased them and attempted to position them as an Hermes competitor. Faure le Page was a very old -firearms- manufacturer whose current owners purchased the brand name rights and only recently started making handbags at a quality level probably akin to your average contemporary handbag brand; the closest thing they used to make were gun holsters and for both these brands, I don't believe they preserved the same quality manufacturing traditions in their current bags as their historical days. If I'm wrong, please let me know.
Notes:
- The following is based on a US consumer's 2025 impressions.
- The following rank is considering the brands' handbags only, so not considering their ready to wear/ the fashion house as a whole.
Scoring criteria, maximum 10 points in these areas:
-Popularity (simply how many people want/once wanted one of their bags)
-Prestige/aura of exclusivity/brand history (considering historically and today) - some brands with substantial brand history could mess up this aspect if their bags become too popular/easily accessible, and/or their quality tanks
-Physical Quality of their bags (considering historically and today)
Tier 1: Hermes - [10] popularity, [10] prestige, [10] physical quality
Tier 2a: Chanel - [10] popularity, [8-10] prestige, [2-10] physical quality (considering now through historically)
Tier 2b: Delvaux, Asprey, Valextra, Launer - [0-2] popularity, [10] prestige, [9-10] physical quality
Tier 3: LV, Dior - [8-10] popularity, [5] prestige, [5] physical quality
Tier 3a: Celine, Fendi, YSL, Bottega - [8] popularity, [5] prestige, [5] physical quality
Tier 3b: Ferragamo, Mulberry, Loewe - [0-4] popularity, [4] prestige, [5-8] physical quality
Tier 4: Gucci, Chloe, Givenchy - [5] popularity, [0-5] prestige, [3-5] physical quality
*Tier 3-4 may vary a lot depending on who you ask/the specific bag and scenario
Tier 5: everything else like Loro Piana - many of these are more ready to wear brands that happen to make bags, the general rating is something like [0-2] popularity (might have a random it bag momentarily) [0] in terms of their bag heritage and [5ish] the quality might be good or better than 5 but no one is aware/cares very much.
Special notes: Faure le Page and Moynat - I may get disliked for this and I have not owned any of their bags, but I do not consider them historical brands due to a Significant Break from their historical bag making heritage. For Moynat, there was a long period of time where the brand was essentially bankrupt and not making bags; LV parent company then purchased them and attempted to position them as an Hermes competitor. Faure le Page was a very old -firearms- manufacturer whose current owners purchased the brand name rights and only recently started making handbags at a quality level probably akin to your average contemporary handbag brand; the closest thing they used to make were gun holsters and for both these brands, I don't believe they preserved the same quality manufacturing traditions in their current bags as their historical days. If I'm wrong, please let me know.
Last edited: