Handbag Designers - A guide to Famous Purse and Handbag Makers

Some names immediately conjure up an image, either of a particular bag, or a famous designer, or a handbag company. Coco Chanel, Louis Vuitton, or Coach for instance. Although, many handbag and purse designers are also rightly famous for their contributions in other areas of the fashion design world. This is meant as a guide to some of the more well-known designer handbag makers, as well as a few lesser-known purse designers. They are in no particular order, other than I am starting with my own personal favorite, Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton is a division of the French holding company, LVMH Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy S.A. The company is named after its founder Louis Vuitton who designed and manufactured luggage, as a Malletier during the 19th century.

The company make and market luxury leather goods, fashion accessories, prêt-à-porter, and jewelry. Many of the company’s products utilize the signature brown Damier and Monogram Canvas materials, both of which were first used in the late 19th century. All of the company’s products utilize the initials LV.

The company only ever sells its product through their own stores throughout the world in an attempt to prevent counterfeit products entering its distribution channels but also to maintain product quality and prices. There is also an online retail store which also sells products from their sister companies.

One hundred and fifty years after Louis Vuitton began selling trunks in Paris, their signature leather goods are a status symbol around the world. The company’s iconic Monogram Canvas design was created in 1896 by Vuitton’s son Georges and was intended to prevent counterfeiting.

Ironically, Louis Vuitton is the purse and hand bag manufacturer most likely to be counterfeited and it is estimated that only 1% of the bags and purses bearing the famous logo are genuine. A quick trip to many Italian coastal towns such as Ventimiglia, will give you the opportunity to buy any number of fake “Louis Vuitton” purses.

Louis Vuitton Online
The online store, French, English, Spanish and Japanese

Cristian Dior

Christian Dior was born and raised in Normandy, France. He studied political science and briefly lived in the former Soviet Union, but came to Paris in 1935, where he learned to sketch purses, hats and dresses. With the help of friends, he sold some sketches, launching his fashion career. After serving in the military during World War II, he worked in design, finally opening his own fashion house after the war.

His designs, after the stark and frugal styles necessitated by the war, were a breath of fresh air- feminine, excessive, opulent and new. He quickly partnered with Jacques Rouet to expand the business to side-products like stockings and perfume, and together they licensed the name to become a powerhouse of the fashion world.

In 1955, Christian Dior brought a young Yves St. Laurent aboard as his design assistant. After Dior’s death in 1957, Yves St. Laurent took over as head designer, ensuring that the Dior brand would remain one of the most elegant and sophisticated brands in fashion history.

In the 1990s, John Galliano became head designer, bringing a new modern edge to the classic Dior accessories. Popular classics include the quilted Cannage bags, clutches and wallets and the Dior saddle bag.

Christian Dior Online

Bottega Veneta

An Italian leather goods company founded in the 1960s, Bottega Veneta’s popularity waned in the 1990s but was resurrected when Tom Ford of Gucci convinced his company to buy the brand. Under Tomas Maier’s design leadership, the intrecciato weave found on most of the bags, shoes and belts became a defining signature of the understated brand.

Bottega Veneta may choose not to scream out their name or logo on each bag, but the excruciatingly soft leather they use for many of their bags screams quality. Soft and supple, the intrecciato weave plays up the quality of leather used for each purse; every bag is easily recognizable as a Bottega Veneta.

But the brand doesn’t just make woven leather bags. The Luxanil crocodile bag is a structured bag for the more formally-inclined, while the Karung is a bit of both- an architectural clutch of woven snakeskin.

A Bottega Veneta conveys casual Italian refinement and is a perfect bag for those who are practical and worldly. Renee Zellweger seems to like them too.

Bottega Veneta online

Chloé

In 1956, Gaby Aghion debuted her luxury prêt-à-porter line of clothing in Paris. Her goal was to present soft, youthful and unique clothes and she hired adventurous, young designers to do this.

Karl Lagerfeld, in 1966, became the lead designer at Chloé and led the brand to attract such fashion trend-setters as Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot and Jackie Kennedy. In the 1980s, Martine Sitbon became head designer and further reinforced Chloé’s ability to be young, inquisitive and classic at the same time. In 1985, the company was purchased by the Richemont Group who saw to it that the brand grew to be know throughout the world. In 1997, Stella McCartney became head designer and for 4 years confidently led Chloé to become a brand for those seeking sophisticated, youthful and slightly edgy ready-to-wear. Today the chief designer is Melim Anderson.

Chloé  bags are softly structured; they tend to have many pockets and a slightly slouchy look and are perfect for those seeking a casual-sophisticated look. They look awesome with flip flops as well as with your favorite Manolos

Chloé online

Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel needs almost no introduction. The name is known. Considered by many the most influential designer of the twentieth century, Coco Chanel created the brand in the early 1900s when she emerged from a poverty-striken childhood to create haute couture for the women of France. She aimed to create styles for women that allowed freedom of movement and shunned ostentation. Arguably, she invented the “little black dress,” and felt that women should be able to wear this dress from day to evening. She learned to sew in the convent where she grew up (after being orphaned), and was a stickler for perfection.

Coco Chanel was a brilliant business woman; Picasso called her, “the woman with the most sense in Europe.”  She called the shots and was brazen and independent- when she grew tired of carrying her clutch, she attached a chain to carry it over her shoulder. Today the brand is still privately-owned, which is extremely rare for a luxury brand. Karl Lagerfield is the head of design now, and he continues the tradition of chic and impeccably made fashion.