Home  /  The Edits  /  Your first designer bag, done properly
The Edit · No. 009

Your first designer bag, done properly

For everyone who has been thinking about it for roughly three years: this is the page. Under £500, nothing forgettable — the canvas icons, the leather workhorses, the pieces the great houses have made for decades because they simply work.

Buying your first one pre-loved is the considered move: the piece has already proven it can live a life, and yours starts at a gentler number. Everything below is one of one and live right now. If you see it and love it, that is the entire decision.

36 pieces live right now Sold pieces drop out automatically One of each — the opposite of a drop
New with tagsMontblanc Navy Blue Leather Meisterstück Messenger Bag
Mont Blanc
Montblanc Navy Blue Leather Meisterstück Messenger Bag
£501.07£1,130−56%
Blue
Very goodEtro Paisley Messenger Bag
Etro
Paisley Messenger Bag
£245£675−64%
Multi-Coloured
New with tagsHermès Rouge H Évelyne 16 (TPM) Palladium Hardware
Hermès
Rouge H Évelyne 16 (TPM) Palladium Hardware
£2,169.07
Rouge H
New with tagsMonogram Coated Canvas Surfin' Keepall Bandouliere 50
Louis Vuitton
Monogram Coated Canvas Surfin' Keepall Bandouliere 50
£2,555.56
Beige; Multicolor
New with tagsCasasola Large Leather Bucket Bag
Casasola
Large Leather Bucket Bag
£575£1,314−56%
Black
New with tagsMontblanc Leather Meisterstück Messenger Bag
Mont Blanc
Montblanc Leather Meisterstück Messenger Bag
£516.37£1,130−54%
Blue
Where to begin

Start with the canon — it's the canon for a reason.

A first bag should earn its keep: shoulder-friendly, season-proof, indifferent to trends. Every house on this page has at least one. Condition is graded on every label, so you know exactly what you're getting.

How HEWI works →
New without tagsRodo Adria Small Bucket Bag
Rodo
Adria Small Bucket Bag
£261£647−60%
Orange
New without tagsValextra Cream Leather Envelope Clutch
Valextra
Cream Leather Envelope Clutch
£390£950−59%
Cream
New with tagsDel Core Studded Handbag Leather
Other Designers
Del Core Studded Handbag Leather
£795£1,365−42%
Brown
Very goodNina Ricci Leather Shoulder + Top-Handle Bag
Nina Ricci
Leather Shoulder + Top-Handle Bag
£195£1,300−85%
Pink
House focus

Gucci — the friendliest front door.

Marmonts, hobos and the occasional miracle — more first bags than any other house.

Shop Gucci →
Very goodAlexander McQueen Grey Leather Heroine Bag
Alexander McQueen
Grey Leather Heroine Bag
£695£2,025−66%
Grey · Size No size
Very goodRodo Midollino Straw Tote Bag
Rodo
Midollino Straw Tote Bag
£500£1,320−62%
Blue
GoodJimmy Choo Lenny Leather Tote Bag
Jimmy Choo
Lenny Leather Tote Bag
£378.67£1,050−64%
White
New without tagsMini V Logo Bag
Valentino
Mini V Logo Bag
£550
Blue
GoodTory Burch Mini Croc Leather Lee Radziwill Top-Handle Bag
Tory Burch
Mini Croc Leather Lee Radziwill Top-Handle Bag
£223.75£595−62%
Red
New without tagsLongchamp Le Roseau Leather Shoulder Bag
Longchamp
Le Roseau Leather Shoulder Bag
£215
beige
Very goodBottega Veneta Black Large Pochette/document holder
Bottega Veneta
Black Large Pochette/document holder
£555
Black
GoodTory Burch Small Flemming Shoulder Bag
Tory Burch
Small Flemming Shoulder Bag
£202.72£545−63%
Yellow
House focus

Chanel — the other blue-chip.

Flaps, Deauvilles and vanity cases — the house's bags, one of one, live now.

Shop Chanel bags →
GoodAmina Muaddi Leather Gemini Shoulder Bag
Amina Muaddi
Leather Gemini Shoulder Bag
£401.62£1,320−70%
Brown
New without tagsRodo Paris Willow Woven Top-Handle Bag
Rodo
Paris Willow Woven Top-Handle Bag
£666
Pink
GoodClaudie Pierlot Striped Tote Bag
Claudie Pierlot
Striped Tote Bag
£92.94£269−65%
Multi-Coloured
GoodTory Burch Eleanor Slim Shoulder Bag
Tory Burch
Eleanor Slim Shoulder Bag
£256.27£550−53%
beige
The smart money

Under £500 — all categories.

Fourteen thousand pieces below the impulse line, refreshed daily.

Shop under £500 →
GoodHermès Bleu Outremer Capucine Toile Officier Vache Country Garden Party 36 PHW
Hermès
Bleu Outremer Capucine Toile Officier Vache Country Garden Party 36 PHW
£2,245.80
Blue; Orange
GoodHermès Vache Hunter Toile Herbag Zip 31 PHW
Hermès
Vache Hunter Toile Herbag Zip 31 PHW
£1,650.72
Green
GoodSandro Paris Quilted Leather Yza Shoulder Bag
Sandro
Paris Quilted Leather Yza Shoulder Bag
£139.50£315−56%
Black
GoodChanel  Quilted Small Caviar Vertical Coco Beauty Vanity Case
Chanel
Quilted Small Caviar Vertical Coco Beauty Vanity Case
£1,797.45
Black
GoodChanel Metallic Quilted Lambskin Extra Mini Square Flap Bag
Chanel
Metallic Quilted Lambskin Extra Mini Square Flap Bag
£1,357.26
Gold
GoodChanel Quilted Calfskin Large Serial Shopper Tote
Chanel
Quilted Calfskin Large Serial Shopper Tote
£2,421.06
beige
GoodChanel Fabric Coco  Logo Bag
Chanel
Fabric Coco Logo Bag
£1,503.99
Black
GoodLouis Vuitton Coated Canvas Damier Ebene Neverfull MM
Louis Vuitton
Coated Canvas Damier Ebene Neverfull MM
£917.07
Brown
The category

Every bag we have — 19,000 one-of-ones.

From £100 canvas to four-figure heirlooms, all condition graded on the label.

Shop all bags →
GoodLouis Vuitton Giant Monogram Empreinte NeoNoe MM
Louis Vuitton
Giant Monogram Empreinte NeoNoe MM
£1,137.16
Black
GoodLouis Vuitton Coated Canvas Damier Azur  Iena PM
Louis Vuitton
Coated Canvas Damier Azur Iena PM
£917.07
beige
GoodLouis Vuitton Damier Ebene Canvas Neverfull MM
Louis Vuitton
Damier Ebene Canvas Neverfull MM
£1,063.80
Brown
GoodLouis Vuitton Coated  Canvas Monogram Berri PM
Louis Vuitton
Coated Canvas Monogram Berri PM
£660.29
Brown
The HEWI promise

Payment released when you're happy — dispatched in 48 hours.

Every piece comes from a private wardrobe with its condition graded on the label. If it isn't right, our team sorts it.

How HEWI works →
GoodLouis Vuitton  Lambskin Monogram Canvas Montsouris Vibe PM
Louis Vuitton
Lambskin Monogram Canvas Montsouris Vibe PM
£2,284.52
Black
GoodLouis Vuitton Coated Canvas Monogram Neverfull MM
Louis Vuitton
Coated Canvas Monogram Neverfull MM
£990.43
Brown

Curated by the HEWI team. Pieces are added and retired as the wardrobe moves — what you see is what exists.

Keep reading

All edits

More from the wardrobe — Louis Vuitton

Shop Louis Vuitton