As a fashion editor, it's only natural that I tend to rack up a pretty lengthy list of things I want to buy at any given moment. Most of the time, that list consists of basics and a few trendy thrills, but it also includes a few key luxury buys—specifically, designer bags. Let's just say that if money were no object, I'd have a closet full of serene and minimalist pieces from brands such as The Row, Khaite, and Toteme. But since I do, in fact, have a cap on my shopping budget, I'm looking to emulate this goal aesthetic on a slightly more affordable budget.
Enter what I'm calling the best mid-range designer bags. Before I can genuinely afford to purchase a bag from the designers mentioned above, I'm eyeing a number of bags from contemporary labels like Manu Atelier, Staud, and BY FAR that are more comfortably within my budget. Ahead, discover the 10 bags I'm seriously considering investing in becuase they look ultra elevted and happen to be within my budget (nothing tops $900 here which is honestly pretty good as far as designer bags go). With that, continue on to see the carryalls I'm eyeing.
Manu Atelier's Kesme bag is a social media favorite, earning fans from Elsa Hosk to Camille Charriere. It's also a personal favorite, too. It has a beautiful unstructured structure to it and a removable chain strap for an even more minimal look. At around $500, it's a quarter of the price of any higher-end designer bag on my wish list.When I say I'm on a "Staud budget", this is exactly what I mean. Staud's bags are shockingly affordable for how much style they bring to the table. They're also always practical, too, which I can't always say about other designer bags. Of all the Staud styles on offer right now, the asymmetric Acute bag is topping my list for its cool but understated vibe.
Cult Gaia is usually synonymous with funky statement pieces, but their latest release, the Aliza Bag, is a minimalist's dream with its petite size, structured shape, and subtle logo hardware. I'm swooning hard.
Lemaire's croissant bag is may be on the higher end of my designer bag budget but I'm including it for good reason. The shape is so unique yet functional and I think it adds that artful minimalistic feel to any outfit, which if we're being honest, is the goal aesthetic I'm really after.Ree Projects is relatively new on my radar and yet everything they're making is really doing it for me. I can't get over how effortlessly cool the Helene Twist Bag is with its soft shape and chic leather finish. Clearly, my fellow WWW editors are also fans.If we're talking designer bags in the mid-price range, we can't skip BY FAR. I honestly had a hard time narrowing down their selection to just one, but if I had to, it would be the Miranda shoulder bag. Sleek and retro-inspired but just the right amount of hardware, I think it looks so elevated and on par with designer bags that are double its price.If you know me, you know that I have a thing for Mansur Gavriel and the brand's latest launch, the Swing Bag, is no exception. It's big enough to be functional but has the right details to make it exciting to grab as an everyday carryall. Neous knows how to take a basic handbag and make it a low-key work of art. I love how the Delphinus bag is all in the details: at first glance, it's a plain leather shoulder bag, but upon further inspection, the soft-but-structured shape and wide strap give it an elevated feel that's akin to any bag from The Row or Khaite.Demellier London is a trove of elevated and minimal bags of all shapes. The Bergen bag, in particular, is logoless, comes in soft neutral hues, and features the most beautiful gold hardware. I spotted my colleague Eliza wearing a style from NYC-based label Freja and immediately had to know more. The retro bowling-style shoulder bag reminded me of one from The Row, albeit at a fraction of the cost.
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