It must be nice to have a fashion editor as a friend. We’re basically walking encyclopedias of the fashion world, after all. Not to blow our own trumpets or anything, but it’s just an occupational hazard that comes after years spent analysing and cataloguing the markets. Our skills come in especially handy when our friends and family come to us with questions about where they can find the best [insert wardrobe essential here].
One of the most common questions we get asked (and often ask ourselves) is where to find a good handbag—no, a great handbag—that feels luxurious and makes all your outfits look extremely expensive for a price that doesn’t completely empty your savings account. Of course, there are high-street options (& Other Stories, COS and Sezane do great affordable leather options), and we could talk for hours about the best high-end designer bags to invest in. But it’s that sweet spot in the middle, the “perfect to ask for on a special birthday without being completely unreasonable” bag, that seems to be the hardest to find.
There may not be many brands that occupy that space, but the one we always turn to that never lets us down is A.P.C. Firstly, it’s a Parisian label, so that explains the understated luxury of it. It does excellent capsule wardrobe clothing, too, but the brand’s minimalist handbags are known for their subtle branding, clean lines and butter-soft leather, and they have ultimately brought the brand cult status among fashion people over the years.
If you’re looking for a timeless handbag to invest in and love forever, one that transcends trends, there’s really nowhere better to find it than A.P.C. The Demi-Lune, or Half Moon, crossbody bag is the most recognisable, and it’s a favourite of shopping editor Joy Montgomery. It even made it onto our ultimate list of the best basics money can buy recently. That’s because, like all of A.P.C.’s handbags, it slips effortlessly into any wardrobe and continues to look classic year after year. Don’t miss the satchel-style Grace bag either, the epitome of elegance. It comes in lots of different colours and sizes, too. It’s gone straight to the top of our wish list.
Whichever A.P.C. handbag you land on for your wardrobe, you can be safe in the knowledge it’s going to look chic forever. Keep scrolling to see and shop the very best styles…
Next Up: The Complete Capsule: Our List of the Best Basics Money Can Buy
