The Psychology of Expensive Designer Bags

The big question: Why do designer handbags capture the hearts and wallets of shoppers?

The modern-day handbag carries many connotations. It can give women a sense of power and security or add a final touch to an outfit. It can be seen as a statement piece representing economic status and taste. For some, this is exactly what it accomplishes. For others, totes hang from the shoulder, arm, or wrist simply practical reasons and nothing more.

Still, even the most sensible get dumbfounded by their own obsession with designer handbags and have large collections of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Marc Jacobs, Channel, and Michael Kors to name a few. That’s a lot of money. 

Materialism

Some people state that their designer handbags were given as a gift, scored on sale, or purchased because of the quality and workmanship. But we all know that there is much more going on. People get a sort of adrenaline rush when designer bags are put into their hands to take home with them. Psychologists suggest that women get a rush from shopping. That it adds to their value.

"There's a rich literature in materialism that talks about people using material goods to deal with internal discomfort, depression, and anxiety," Yajin Wang, assistant professor at the University of Maryland. "Past research has shown that there is a link between experiencing traumatic life events and buying expensive products. People use luxury goods to distract themselves or to convince themselves that they are valuable."

Necessity

As much as people would like to think that women are filling a void of some sort, there are many confident women who appreciate well-made, functional products and will pay good money to have it. The handbag holds everything dear to a person as well as their daily bit and bobs - like loose change, transport card, office pass - without ruining their outfit by leaving them in pockets that are not designed to hold anything practical.

Instead, women prefer to keep their belongings in a stylish treasure chest that can add to their outfit and general first impressions. A woman wearing an all-black outfit can jazz up her style and show more of her personality with a colorful mini trunk or for the more subtle, a light pink or beige minaudière clutch.

Investment

Let’s get straight to it. A strong argument against designer handbag obsession is that it costs a lot of money for an item that is essentially a box with a closure. But what if that item doubles in the price? Not so ridiculous anymore, is it?

In 2017, the lucrative outcome of trading designer handbags was proved. In an auction house called Christie’s, a blue crocodile-skin Hermes Birkin with white gold and 18-carat diamonds was sold for£125,000 - the most expensive handbag ever sold in Europe.

‘Designer handbags are an excellent investment,’ says Will Thomas, who runs online antiques-trading business Love Antiques. ‘There is also a huge market in what we call “future antiques”. In other words, pieces that aren’t obvious collectibles now, but maybe worth a fortune in a few years’ time.’

However, tread this road carefully as not all bags increase in value. Some have even decreased over the years. For example, trendy seasonal Fendi bags have gone down from £2,320 to £800.

Status Anxiety

"The desire for high status is never stronger than in situations where ‘ordinary' life fails to answer a median need for dignity and comfort." - Philosopher Alain de Bottom

The quote is taken from a book written in 2005 - before the explosion of social media. Now, stronger than ever, do people feel the need for more than just an ordinary life. For 24 hours, every day of the week, users on social media are bombarded with images and status updates of the rich and famous having a great, extraordinary life - with the handbag that goes with it.

It Lasts

Your taste in fashion changes over the years, but handbags are timeless if you buy the right one. It’s easy to go through your wardrobe and remove clothes that are either ruined, not in fashion or no longer fit. It's less easy and less affordable to change your designer handbag. And why would you need to? It’s strong, it’s worth money and it always fits making it an accessory that can last a lifetime if well-kept.

Brand Loyalty

When you find a brand you love, you have no problem in sharing it with the rest of the world. You advocate and promote it. What you buy gives you an identity, whether we want it to or not. Branding is a marketing tool used for companies to show what they appreciate. When you invest in the brand, it shows what you appreciate too.

Show the world what you value! Invest in one of ourvegan handbags and add it to your collection.