Best Parisian bag brands. French bag brands

French handbags in Paris

Parisians have a reputation for elegance. This reputation is mostly justified and you will see that when you are in the city.

Even when they are dressed casually, women have a distinctive touch that is unique. One of the French attributes of elegance is the handbag women carry in all circumstances.

As most women buy at least a handbag each year, French handbag designers are competing fiercely to provide the best quality and stay at the top of what is fashionable in Paris and the other regions of France.

A few, sometimes very old, are world famous thanks to a mix of perfect design, manual assembly, quality materials and efficient marketing.

Discover all these brands during your stay in the city in the Department Stores or in their branded stores.

Best bags to buy in Paris

Louis Vuitton is synonym worldwide for exclusive and quality French handbags. Hermès Kelly and Birkin handbags are iconic luxury products. Gérard Darel and Longchamp, best known for its Le Pliage handbag, are two other iconic French handbag brands.

Lesser known French handbag brands, Le Tanneur, created in 1898, Petite Mendigote, created in Paris in 2003, Nat et Ninn, created in Paris in 2005, Jerome Dreyfuss are quality French brands of handbags.

Frecnh fashion brands in Paris

Champs-Elysées hotel

Hôtel Barrière Fouquet's is the only hotel overlooking the Champs-Elysées. This 5-star hotel features a spa with a swimming pool and sauna, 3 bars and 2 restaurants, including the historic Fouquet's brasserie. All rooms have been decorated by top designers. Most rooms offer views of the Champs-Élysées, Avenue George-V or the hotel's interior garden. Champs-Elysées hotels.

Top handbag stores in Paris

Top Paris stores of French handbag brands. The Louis Vuitton and Longchamp stores are must do. French stores in Paris.

Hermès Kelly and Birkin handbags

The Kelly handbag is iconic. Created in 1892 as a bag for equestrian equipment, it was redisigned in 1930 as a smaller handbag for women. It had a trapezoid shape with two triangular gussets, a cutout flap, a handle and two side straps. In the late 50ies, Grace Kelly got off her plane, using the Hermès bag to hide her baby bump. This touching image it famous among women. It was renamed the Kelly bag.

Birkin handbag is iconic too. In 1984, Jane Birkin, seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, manager of Hermès, lamented that she could not find a shopping bag suited to her needs as a young mother. He designed a tote bag for her, rectangular in shape, supple and spacious, with a polished wedge and saddle stitching. The Birkin handbag was born.

Longchamp Le Pliage handbag

Longchamp is a famous French handbag brand, founded in Paris in 1948 by Jean Cassegrain. Inspired by origami, Longchamp created Le Pliage, a foldable and lightweight bag that has become cult worldwide. Le Pliage comes in a multitude of shapes and sizes, offered in several colors.

Perfect for everyday use, Le Pliage is light as a feather, folds into the size of a paperback and is durable enough to keep your essentials close to you. It is adorned with classic and clean lines, while bringing a touch of femininity. With its two handles and snap button, you can carry it by hand or fold it up in the blink of an eye. Longchamp handbag brand.

Le Tanneur handbags

Since 1898, Le Tanneur has been drawing, designing and manufacturing essential, high quality bags and accessoires that stand the test of time. Catering to men and women with a taste for the timeless, Le Tanneur offers an exclusive collection of leather goods to wear daily and love forever.

Since its founding years, over 120 years ago,Le Tanneur has always stayed true to its principles and pursued one clear ambition…Le Tanneur is this brand that all French people have grown up with. Like an old family home, Le Tanneur bags age beautifully. Known for their timeless elegance and sense of craft, they stand the test of time.

Le Tanneur handbags can be found in their branded store, 2, bis rue Caumartin 75009.

Top selling French handbags in USA

America loves French handbags. Best-selling designer purses by U.S. city reveals New Yorkers favor Chanel but for everywhere else, it's Louis Vuitton.

Designer consignment retailer The RealReal used sales data from its top ten biggest-spending cities. Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Céline, Hermès and Goyard were the most popular designer handbag brands overall. Five out of these six brands are French. One is Italian.

Handbag history

Early Europeans used handbags as we do today, to store personal belongings needed for the day. Clothing had no pockets until the 17th century, so men also carried handbags for things like coins, alms, and relics. It all really started with the reticules, the small drawstring bags carried as a purse by women. They became popular with the advent of Regency fashions in late 18th century. Previously, women had carried personal belongings in pockets tied around the waist, but the columnar skirts and thin fabrics that had come into style made pockets essentially unusable. In 1841, Yorkshire entrepreneur Samuel Parkinson wanted to treat his wife to a custom-made set of hand luggage. He had noticed that her purse was too small and not made of a sturdy enough material for traveling. So he had leather handbags made for her in varying size for different occasions. London-based luxury leather goods company H. J. Cave & Sons was more than happy to oblige. Mrs. Parkinson owned the world’s first designer handbag. H. J. Cave’s designs are known to have inspired Louis Vuitton (1857) and Guccio Gucci (1910).