The concept of the It-bag hit the fashion collective at mass in the early 2000s, and ever since, you’d be hard-pressed to find a moment in time when there wasn’t a line of celebrities and fashion-obsessed consumers alike scrambling for the bag of the moment. Because said fan-loved handbags usually come with a designer name attached, a steep designer price is bound to follow (with the exception of the new generation It-bag from affordable luxury brand Telfar), and they aren’t notorious for being the most wallet-friendly options. Instead, shopping the designer handbag trends from pre-owned is the ultimate fashion-girl hack to enjoying the latest fashion trends, full price aside.
While shopping vintage and pre-owned is most always bound to prove beneficial from both a sustainability and economic standpoint, it’s even better when you can do so and still shop products that feel of the moment. With so many current fashion trends rooted in nostalgia, scrolling through a curated selection of the best second-hand handbags from resale marketplaces such as Fashionphile feels almost like shopping for one that’s brand new. Then, there are newly released styles, such as Telfar’s Shopping Bag, that sell out in stores instantly, but not without used options cropping up online to rescue you from waiting out the next drop.
Whether you’re looking for the next best option to Balenciaga’s $2,000 Le Cagole bag, your next token logomania staple, or one of Telfar’s rare colorways, the 12 handbags below are a reminder that your next buy doesn’t have to come at full price.
If you’re a fan of Balenciaga’s Le Cagole bag, released just a couple of season’s ago, you have Balenciaga’s Motorcycle City Bag, popularized and immortalized in the early aughts, to thank. Its chunky hardware details cater to anyone looking to marry the classic with a touch of edge, and grabbing the bag in one of the bright colors offered such as this firetruck red takes the statement above and beyond.
Available at Fashionphile
If the early 2000s were to be summed into one It-bag, Fendi’s shoulder bag’s are likely to take the crown. The return of log0mania puts the brand’s iconic Zucca print back on the map, making for a handbag that feels tastefully on-trend, yet simultaneously neutral and versatile.
Available at Fashionphile
Bottega Veneta’s cloud-like pouch bags may just be the most viral handbag style of the entire social media era, ever. And, with their goes-with-everything appeal, it’s easy to see why. This pre-owned coin purse comes at a 60 percent discount off its retail price of $630, a steal we love for a recent-season style you can still find for full price in stores.
Available at Fashionphile
Almost as instantly recognizable as Christian Dior’s Saddle Bag, is the brand’s Trotter crossbody bag. Using the house’s signature Oblique canvas, which dates back to 1967, and what was introduced as the Trotter print by then artistic director Marc Bohan, it’s a bag as practical as it is fashionable, made for anyone on the move.
Available at Fashionphile
There’s something about vintage Christian Dior saddle bags that come with an undeniable charm. This blood-red option comes with a minimal, all over logo and a patent finish that will keep your handbag at the center of attention at any given time.
Available at Christian Dior
Not that Prada’a signature nylon ever left the scene, but in recent seasons, various iterations of the signature style have enjoyed an extended moment in the spotlight unseen since before the 2010s. It goes without saying the appeal remains just the same. Famous for a classic and minimal design that elevates virtually any outfit, styles such as the Re-nylon Re-edition Bag (which currently retails for $1,250 brand new) are basically immune to going out of style.
Available at Fashionphile
A Y2K revival is simply incomplete without Louis Vuitton’s monogram canvas on the docket, especially in styles popularized during modern fashion’s first run-in with logomania, such as the Papillon. Since the silhouette’s return to fame, a number of cylinder-shaped barrel bags have cropped up on the market, proving there are no limitations to marrying the old with the new.
Available at Fashionphile
Bottega Veneta is never not revamping styles created with its signature intrecciato weaved leather, and as a result, the technique has remained a fan favorite throughout the years. Styles featuring design element, such as the brand’s Jodie Bag, make a case for the return of the hobo bag, and you can return to the brand’s archive for styles such as this one that channel a similar look at a fraction of the price.
Available at Fashionphile
Fendi’s collection of baguettes vary so widely that shopping for them pre-owned becomes especially exciting, as you never know which variation of the style you’ll land upon next. Snag this one if you want to lean into the season’s trend of metallic accessories, or if you’re imply in the market for a new ‘going dancing’ handbag.
Available at Fashionphile
Balenciaga may have recently introduced styles that harken back to the Motorcycle City Bag, but it’s not the first time the brand has done so. The style became so widely popular after its introduction that it wasn’t long until similar styles followed then, too. Perfect for anyone returned to the office, or the mom on duty, this roomy tote is the fashion-forward every day bag you’ve been waiting for.
Available at Fashionphile
Not only are Telfar shopping bags practical (even the mini), but they are also affordable, which isn’t always the case with luxury handbags. The bad news is they sell out fast (on the brand’s website), but the good news is you can repurchase them second-hand from various retailers.
Available at Fashionphile
It feels like, for the forseeable future, there won’t be any such thing as a Telfar bag that doesn’t come with hype. After the success of its Shopping Bag, the brand unveiled a new handbag in 2021, and its selling out came as no surprise – Nor the fact that people are still scrambling to get their hands on it on the resale market.
Available at Fashionphile