Here at Who What Wear, we believe in the power of accessories. That’s why we’ve dedicated an entire series—Successorise—to it. After all, nothing has the ability to overhaul your outfits quite like a well-chosen sparkly hair grip or an elegant pair of earrings worn with a messy low bun. The same, naturally, applies to handbags.
Handbags are covetable—this we know—and while my own personal wish lists will always include the classics (think Chanel, Gucci, Hermès—the dream), nothing gives me quite the same thrill as discovering a new It-bag brand. When I started researching the best new bag brands for this piece, I consulted both Instagram and the trend reports of Matches, Net-a-Porter, and MyTheresa. And now, after hours of searching, I can confirm that these are the handbag brands to know now.
From the coolest bag I’ve seen (that costs just £38) to the year’s defining label, keep scrolling to discover the best new handbag brands that dominated 2020, and that we fully intend on carrying with us through to 2021.
This vintage-inspired range began to gain momentum at the start of 2020. The Tulip bags (large and small) will no doubt be on the arms of many fashion editors.
Handcrafted in limited runs using only the best leather, C.Nicol’s minimal arm candy has been seen on many a noteworthy arm, and features on every Who What Wear editor’s wish-list.
Aesther Ekme creates pared-back bags with function at their heart, but that doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful. In fact, their minimal silhouettes make them all the more covetable, as they’ll go with just about everything you can pair them with.
Khaite was one of 2020’s defining brands, with its knitwear proving to be most popular in fashion circles. However, after launching its first handbag edit last year, we think it’s not going anywhere for 2021.
It takes a great deal to surprise the Who What Wear team, but that’s exactly what happened when we saw the price of Roop’s satin bags. A high-street price for a conscious, boutique Brit label? We can’t say no to that…
Made in Barcelona by traditional artisans, The Sant’s bags have become a firm favourite amongst our team. With their signature scrunchie handles and structured bodies, their play on proportion makes them look all the more premium.
Mashu is an ethical handbag brand that is designed in the UK and handcrafted by expert artisans in Greece. Using only sustainably sourced materials that don’t harm the environment, it’s a mid-range purchase you can feel really great about.
This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
Next up, In 2021, I’ll be wearing these jacket trends on repeat
