The self-gift guide: 7 ‘future vintage’ designer bags poised to become classics
The most exciting thing about designer bags isn’t the trend cycle. It’s the return to identity. Forget chasing what’s “in” and focus instead on who you are and how you move through the world. These bags don’t just carry essentials. They crystallise personas, from the executive who commands a room to the insider who stays three seasons ahead without trying. They mark intention, signal confidence and give shape to the version of yourself you’re ready to lead with. This is luxury as self-definition, not decoration.
Consider this your permission slip to gift yourself a designer bag that reflects who you’ve become and hints at where you’re headed next.
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For the historian: Lady Dior by Jonathan Anderson
You want a designer bag that defines one of the most significant fashion moments of the decade. Creative director Jonathan Anderson has purified the classic architectural Lady Dior silhouette, introducing a sophisticated leather bow that adorns the handle. Releasing in January 2026, the new Lady Dior balances the history of the 1995 original with a softer, lighter, more modern attitude—provenance meeting innovation.
For the jet-setter: Chanel 25
Chanel 25 is the house’s sophisticated answer to bohemian ease. With a relaxed drawstring closure and the signature CC toggle, it features soft architecture—structure that moves with you from Bangkok to Paris. The small-grained calfskin version is the buy-it-for-life investment for women whose lives feel perpetually cinematic.
For the connoisseur: Loewe Madrid
Loewe’s Madrid bag rewards those who value tactile luxury over visible logos. Its trapezoidal form is crafted from calfskin that feels like satin against your fingertips. Raw-edge finishes and tubular straps create an effortlessly refined aesthetic. It’s for women who buy luxury for how it feels to them, not how it photographs.
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For the corporate baddie: Saint Laurent Y Tote
Saint Laurent’s Y Tote features subtle laser-cut branding integrated into architectural leather panelling (Photo: Saint Laurent)
Sharp enough to command respect, functional enough for your laptop—this is the power bag life demands. The laser-cut “Y” integrated into the leather panelling revives archive branding without flashy hardware, embodying the stealth wealth aesthetic. The Saint Laurent Y Tote is designed for women who’ve earned their authority and dress accordingly.
For the insider: Alaïa Le Teckel
Alaïa’s Le Teckel sculptural shape has become the cult favourite among fashion editors and insiders (Photo: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)
While everyone gravitates toward totes, carry the Dachshund-shaped Alaïa Le Teckel. This elongated east-west shoulder bag with exaggerated straps is pure sculptural architecture. It’s become the cult favourite of fashion editors precisely because it requires deep fashion literacy to understand—and that’s exactly the point.
For the purist: The Row Marlo
The Row’s Marlo briefcase-adjacent shape offers structure in saddle leather (Photo: The Row)
The Row Marlo is sharper and stricter than its predecessor, the Margaux—and that’s precisely why you want it. Constructed from polished saddle leather, its briefcase-adjacent silhouette is more severe, more architectural, more exclusive. Supremely understated, it’s the ultimate “if you know, you know” flex for women who prefer rarity over recognition.
For the visionary: Valentino Garavani 9to5
You don’t follow trends; you follow eras. Alessandro Michele’s return to fashion is a definite highlight, and this bag from his surprise “Avant les Débuts” collection proves why. The accordion silhouette of the Valentino Garavani 9to5 marries 1970s bourgeois polish with Michele’s eccentric maximalism. Its magnetic VLogo closure and adjustable strap will take you from morning meetings to evening aperitivos.
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