Designer Bag Brands: 10 Affordable & Underrated Handbags To Know

Our favourite under-the-radar bag brands for an affordable designer handbag addition to your luxury collection.

These affordable local and international bag brands will give you a truly luxurious-looking and feeling upgrade to your handbag collection, without costing the earth! It’s easy to get overwhelmed by flashy luxury brands and their hefty price tags and purchase a piece that you don’t actually adore. But on the other hand, we’re trying to do our part for the earth and stay away from fast fashion picks that might be budget-friendly but offer no longevity (and pollute the planet!). So what are you to do? We’ve rounded up our favourite affordable independent bag brands that offer up gorgeous well-crafted handbags, purses and more for an investment piece that’s actually worth a (little!) splurge.

Read More: Local Sustainable Fashion Brands We Love 

Affordable Designer Handbag Brands We Love

BY FAR — Celebrity-favourite designer brand with affordable handbags and shoes in sustainably-sourced Italian materials

We’re starting off strong with celebrity-approved cool-girl brand BY FAR, feeding right into our nostalgia about the late 90s and early 2000s. Despite being carried by the likes of Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber, this Australian-designed Bulgaria-made brand is surprisingly accessible — happy to help give us another meaning for arm candy.

How Much: From as low as $2,300.

What To Buy: We can’t stop thinking about the handmade Baby Amber foil-print leather shoulder bag ($3,330), with a distinctive early 2000s shape in holographic glittery purple.

BY FAR, available online at Farfetch, Harvey Nichols, NET-A-PORTER, Shopbop, SSENSE and TheOutnet, www.byfar.com

Read More: Top Fashion Websites With Free Shipping To Hong Kong

Cafuné — Timeless, minimalist affordable leather bags sourced straight from Italy

Founded in Hong Kong by lifelong friends Queenie Fan and Day Lau in 2015, Cafuné strives to re-imagine luxury, wanting consumers to make sustainable choices. Each timeless, minimalist handbag is crafted from exceptional quality leather and comes complete with custom-designed hardware accents for added chic.

How Much: From as low as $589 for pouches, airpods cases and clutches, and starting around $1,241 for phone crossbodies and bags.

What To Buy: You can’t go wrong with a timeless classic! The Stance Bag in Black ($5,020) is a bestseller — a mid-size modern satchel inspired by vintage briefcases.

Cafuné, available online on its website (with free shipping to Hong Kong) and at its physical stockists (in Hong Kong, that’s kapok!), www.ca-fune.com

Read More: 5 Essential Pieces To Start Your Spring Capsule Wardrobe

CHARLES & KEITH — Singaporean fashion house with affordable on-trend bags and more

Perhaps not as underrated or unknown as others on this list, Singaporean brand CHARLES & KEITH has quickly become a Hong Kong favourite, with seasonal collections of on-trend and classic handbags, crossbodies, totes, wallets and more — all at unbeatable prices! Don’t miss the wallets and footwear here either.

How Much: From as low as $369.

What To Buy: We’ve got our eyes on the Cockade crossbody bag in soft lilac ($439), a roomy trapeze-shaped handbag with multi-coloured tassle charms and zipper tabs.

CHARLES & KEITH, available online and in-store at its locations across Hong Kong, www.charleskeith.com

Linjer — Sustainable brand offering eco-friendly leather handbags, fine jewellery and more

Jennifer Chong and Roman Khan’s beautifully minimalist brand is a classic fashion girl’s dream. Linjer is named after the Norwegian word for ‘lines’ — with designs that emphasise simplicity. All bags here are made with top-grade sustainable leather and designed with longevity in mind. While you’re on the site, browse its collection of sustainable fine jewellery!

How Much: From as low as $1,750.

What To Buy: One of Linjer’s top-sellers, The Tulip Bag ($3,700) is made with buttery Italian vachetta leather and linen, and can fit everything from a Kindle to your makeup, sunglasses and even a light sweater.

Linjer, available online (with free shipping to Hong Kong for orders above $610), www.linjer.co

Read More: Where To Buy Fine Jewellery In Hong Kong – Diamonds, 18k Gold & More

Mlouye — Turkish designer brand offering affordable functional luxury bags

Created by industrial designer Meb Rure in 2015 in Istanbul, this Turkish brand was directly inspired by the artists and architects of the Bauhaus movement. Both practical and exquisite, Mlouye’s bags feature unexpected shapes that resemble sculptural landmarks — offering a luxury feel at a far more affordable price.

How Much: From as low as $2,590.

What To Buy: It’s genuinely hard to pick, but we love the gorgeous Wave bag in Milky ($3,307) — a chocolate and tea-coloured saddle-shaped shoulder bag, crafted from Italian cow leather.

Mlouye, available online (with free express shipping to Hong Kong), www.mlouye.com

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Rejina Pyo — Korean designer with affordable fashion-week-approved bags

An award-winning Korean designer based in London, Rejina Pyo’s bags are fashion week-approved and surprisingly affordable! You’ll find a small collection of sling bags, crossbodies, totes, and other handbags in fun shapes and textures — like a massive woolly green piece, a “banana” bag, organic cotton knotted phone-sized slings and more.

How Much: From as low as $788

What To Buy: The Chain Mini Bag in Suede Black ($2,695), finished with a sculptured chain handle.

Rejina Pyo, available online at its website (with free express shipping to Hong Kong on orders over $4,877), in-store at its stockists across Hong Kong, and at Farfetch and TheOutnet, rejinapyo.com

Read More: Where To Buy Lingerie In Hong Kong

SENREVE — Leather and vegan handbags designed in NYC and made in Italy from Tuscany-imported materials

Founded in 2016 by powerhouses Coral Chung and Wendy Wen, SENREVE is all about a professional luxurious bag that adjusts to and work within your busy modern lifestyle. You’ll find a range of traditional leathers imported from Tuscany here and the brand’s also branched out into gorgeous sustainable vegan leathers (that’s right, more than one!).

How Much: From as low as $2,360

What To Buy: It really does depend on your leather and shape preference but we’re curious about the easy-to-customise Vegan Terra collection (starting from $4,195), crafted from plant-based proteins and 100% traceable.

SENREVE, available online (with free shipping to Hong Kong), www.senreve.com

Read More: Local Vegan, Cruelty-Free & Sustainable Beauty Brands We Love

STAUD — Vintage-inspired affordable bags in beaded and fun shape variations

Sarah Staudinger and George Augusto co-founded this LA-based company on the basis that fashion shouldn’t just empower women — it should be widely accessible too. When it comes to handbags, STAUD has it down to a science, with cool designs, fun prints and dreamy colours. The collection draws inspiration from vintage clothing and downtown street art, with pieces that walk the line between high-end and homegrown.

How Much: From as low as $745.

What To Buy: We can’t get enough of the beaded Tommy Bag (starting from $1,963), in so many bright colour and print variations.

STAUD, available online at its website, NET-A-PORTER and SSENSE, staud.clothing

Read More: The Best Thrift Stores To Shop Vintage, Second-Hand Clothing

Strathberry — Designer brand with affordable ultra-luxe classic bags

Looking for a handbag fit for a princess? Strathberry became the talk of the town when Meghan Markle accessorised her outfit with one of its iconic totes. Founded by Guy and Leeanne Hundleby in 2013, this Scottish bag brand is best known for its classic shapes and luxe aesthetic, along with that signature bar closure.

How Much: From as low as $1,630

What To Buy: The Strathberry Tote (starting from $4,000) — a classic bag with two interior pockets, available in nano, midi and classic sizing in a range of gorgeous soft pastels and jewel shades.

Strathberry, available online at its website (with free shipping to Hong Kong on orders over $1,700) and Lane Crawford, hk.strathberry.com

WEAT — Homegrown brand offering affordable bags in trendy shapes and colours

Founded by That Girl Nina Sieber, We Eat Avocado Toast — or WEAT — is a cool girl-approved handbag line. Even its name is punchy! A homegrown brand, you’ll find feminine, functional and fashion-forward bags here in eye-catching shapes and designs and bright (even colour-changing) materials and shades.

How Much: From as low as $750

What To Buy: Any Toast Bag (starting from $1,080), the brand’s signature and best-loved style — with an eye-catching triangle carabiner that enables you to wear it as a practical crossbody, a statement clutch and more.

WEAT, available online (with free shipping to Hong Kong), us.weat-studio.com

Read More: 50+ Local Hong Kong Brands You Need To Know

Editor’s Note: All listed prices were correct at the time of publication. “Under-The-Radar Handbag Brands” was originally written by Ashleigh Butterworth and was most recently updated in April 2023 by Sakina Abidi.