Investing in a designer handbag is a big deal. As someone who only spends large sums of money on bags—sorry, shoes, but New York City streets are too rough for you—I know all too well that the financial and mental impact of following through on a big bag purchase is significant. What does help, though, is conducting research ahead of time to decide which bag brands, styles, colors, and sizes are right for you. Of course, you may also want to explore ways to style the bag once it's yours.
Before purchasing a designer handbag, I like to begin my research by reviewing how celebrities have worn the bags I'm interested in. After all, given their access to all the best fashion pieces on the market, they're often the ones who can provide the most outfit inspiration. During my quest to fill up my handbag-specific mood board for 2024, I noticed something: There really aren't that many brands that celebrities frequent in the bag department. In actuality, a majority of the most viral celebrity bag sightings feature just four brands, making it surprisingly easy to narrow down the search for my next big bag purchase.
Scroll down to find out which four brands I've spotted on celebrities the most.
It's not just celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Elle Fanning, and Ashley Olsen herself who love The Row's quiet luxury handbags—the entire fashion world is enamored with them, from the viral Margaux to the newer Idaho. For the newest of the four brands on this list, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's CFDA Award winning label has amassed quite the fan club, with bags being its most beloved category.
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Prada's bags are always in demand, but celebrities like Dua Lipa, Hunter Schafer, Hailey Bieber, and more have been especially keen on wearing the Italian fashion brand's handbags of late, ranging from printed options in unique shapes to classic leather totes with a twist—it is Prada, after all. I personally have invested in two Prada bags and find them to be among my highest-quality purses. Plus, they're guaranteed to garner compliments every time you bring one out.
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Bottega Veneta has always excelled in the bag department, but the Italian brand has risen to new levels of fame ever since Matthieu Blazy took over as creative director in 2020. The brand has released countless mega handbag hits, from Bieber's, Jacob Elordi's, and Sofia Richie Grainge's favorite Andiamo to Kendall Jenner's and Dakota Johnson's go-to Sardine. Kylie Jenner and Nara Smith prefer the Hop, while Jennifer Lawrence has taken a liking to the Tosca.
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Saint Laurent's cohort of very loyal celebrity fans, ranging from Zoë Kravitz and Bieber to Jasmine Tookes and Laura Harrier, are as chic as the French pieces they wear on the regular. Even when they're not in head-to-toe YSL, they're all more often than not carrying a bag from the brand, be it the timeless Manhattan pocketbook or clutch or a slouchier, more casual Le 5 à 7 shoulder bag.
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