A handbag is a must-have accessory for every modern woman and the 10 most expensive Louis Vuitton handbags always attract attention – even though there are precious few people that can afford them. Still, it seems that every other woman has one of them these days and we aren’t talking about fakes here. Louis Vuitton doesn’t have to be that expensive at all. Even now, you can enter any Louis Vuitton store across the globe and exit the same with a new $1,000 handbag resting upon your shoulder. We are talking new collection here which means that there are cheaper still handbags available for bargain prices (in luxury terms, of course).
If you take a closer look at this list of most expensive handbag brands in the world, you’ll note that the French luxury brand fails to make an appearance there, even though Marc Jacobs was their creative director for nearly 20 years. This further speaks to their relative affordability. However, Louis Vuitton always manages to produce something out of the price range of common mortals. They do make some unique models that instantly warrant exorbitant prices, but mostly they mix things up with materials. This way, identical models can exhibit a price tag gap of more than 1,000 percent. That’s the difference that premium materials can make.
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The Louis Vuitton brand was established more than 150 years ago in 1854 by the founder whose name it carries today. Luggage trunks were Louis Vuitton’s only products at the time, and not much has changed during the course of one and a half centuries. Yes, the company has diversified its product range, but handbags (modern-day luggage trunks) still amount to most of Louis Vuitton’s revenue which had surpassed the €30 billion mark in 2014 as shown in company’s annual report. Unlike the first 130 or so years of Luis Vuitton’s family business model, the brand is now a division of a holding company. Since 1987, the establishment of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE conglomerate has dealt in a wide variety of luxury goods including fashion products and alcoholic beverages. It really goes without saying that the conglomerate is a serious powerhouse in the global luxury goods market, and Louis Vuitton’s handbags come with guaranteed quality of materials and craft, together with the highly renowned (and often copied) symbol easily recognizable in all four of the world’s corners.
Our list is based exclusively on current models which include both 2015 and a few of 2016 year pieces. This means that unique, low-output and sold-out bags, like the Patchwork bag produced in 24 copies, won’t be considered. Still, the manufacturer’s web page offers a number of exorbitantly priced articles by itself. You might be surprised, but men’s bags were also taken into account, and one of them actually found its way into this list of 10 most expensive Louis Vuitton handbags.
10. Petite Malle (Crocodile Brillant) and Deesse GM (Porosus Crocodile Brillant)
Price: $39,500
We start our list with a tie and you are about to see many similar situations as we progress toward the top. Petite Malle, made out of shining crocodilian leather, is offered in graphite or rose nacre color schemes. This is a stylish, sharp-shaped retro handbag which resembles Louis Vuitton’s luggage trunks of olden times, but in a much smaller form, of course. The larger-sized Deesse, available in elephant grey, bordeaux and noir (black) shades, is also made out of bright croc skin, but features porosus leather trim as well. Porosus salt-water crocodiles can only be found between India and Australia which makes them a rare commodity, hence such exorbitant prices for accessories made out of this type of leather.
9. Volta (Crocodile Mat)
Price: $41,000
Volta is offered in caramel and noir shades, and represents a mixture of both haute and sporty elegance. It comes with a removable strap which easily transforms it from arm to shoulder accessory. Being as large as it is (12.6 x 11 x 5.1 inches), it offers an abundance of space for small possessions and comes in especially handy on both business and leisure trips.
8. Capucines BB (Porosus Crocodile Brillant)
Price: $42,000
This shaded golden beige subcompact-sized Capucines Collection handbag is also made out of exotic crocodile leather. It is specially stained and shaded by hand in order to offer a unique color arrangement which guarantees abundance of attentive eyes wherever you go. It can be worn over the shoulder, cross-body or in hand, and can also be flapped in or out.
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7. Petite Malle (Crocodile Mat) and Lockit MM (Crocodile Mat)
Price: $43,000
The number 7 spot is shared by two models – astonishing Petite Malle and elegant mid-sized Lockit bags. They do tend to come in different sizes, colors, and to be made of different materials, but these couple of handbags in particular are made of matte crocodilian skin. As for the colors, the former is offered exclusively in light brown, while the latter comes in taupe. They are both refined pieces of Louis Vuitton craftsmanship and much more expensive than most of the articles the luxury brand offers in their portfolio.
6. Doc PM (Crocodile Leather), Lockit PM (Crocodile Mat) and Capucines MM (Crocodile Mat)
Price: $44,500
Position number 6 on our list of 10 most expensive Louis Vuitton handbags is shared by no less than three different models. Made out of croc leather and trimmed with natural cowhide leather and lambskin lining, the compact-sized Doc handbag combines a single handle with keybell strapped to it. Unlike Doc PM which is offered as an unique handbag (only croc leather and beige color), the compact-sized Lockit model is offered in elegant taupe and extravagant grenade colorways. Finally, mid-sized Capucines can be ordered in either red, pink or purple which makes it stand out as a more expressive model than most of the understated entries in this list.
5. Volta (Porosus Crocodile Mat)
Price: $47,000
Another Volta handbag – only this one is exclusively offered in black. That, and it features more expensive matte porosus crocodile skin which can easily be figured out by its price tag. Apart from these couple of differences, it’s pretty much the same as the Volta handbag from our number 9 spot.
4. Capucines MM (Porosus Crocodile Mat)
Price: $48,500
Similar to one of the models from number 6 spot – the mid-sized Capucines is furbished from porosus croc skin, but unlike its porosus-free counterpart, it comes in blue, purple and noir shades. Otherwise, it offers the same level of compatibility and comes without a strap. In other words, this is a handbag in true sense of the word.
3. Dora PM (Porosus Crocodile Brillant) and Porte-Documents Voyage (Crocodile Mat)
Price: $50,000
This special exotic leather Dora model is a compact-sized accessory offered in a green shining background color with black contrasting innards. Its styling is unparalleled in the same way as its color arrangement. The bag exhibits a contemporary nature which modern women will know how to treasure – if they find the means to buy it first, that is. But this spot on our list isn’t Dora handbag’s alone. Modern Louis Vuitton-loving men get their own boasting bag – the Porte-Documents Voyage made out of matte croc leather in cherry burgundy gradient. As its name suggests, Porte-Documents Voyage is practical for travelling businessmen of refined taste and corresponding means.
2. Capucines MM (Crocodile Brillant)
Price: $52,500
This unique alligator skin Capucines handbag doesn’t exhibit a different form than its siblings, but does feature special shaded burgundy red color and warrants a special price tag in the process as well. As every other shaded model, this one too is hand-colored and crafted with utmost precision.
1. City Steamer MM (Crocodile Leather)
Price: $55,500
Finally, the number one spot on our list of 10 most expensive Louis Vuitton handbags goes to the famed City Steamer. Available in a unique setup (exotic leather and beige color), City Steamer represents a fusion of elegance and practicality. A number of seamlessly unnecessary details like the engraved padlock and nametag adorn this handbag from top to bottom and help it “unlock” its full potential. City Steamer is a prized possession for any woman lucky enough to have it.
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