Yes, you can buy a good designer handbag for less than £500

designer handbags under £500
(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the easiest ways to update your wardrobe for the spring/summer 2024 season is with a new designer handbag, and the good news is you don't have to empty your bank account to add that little touch of luxury. 

Just because you don't have £1,000 to drop at Dior, Bottega Veneta or Chanel doesn't mean the designer market is completely closed off to you, nor does it mean you have to compromise on style. There is a plethora of contemporary brands that serve up chic styles for less than £500, including Loulou Studio, Staud and Anya Hindmarch.

Plus, some designer labels have extended their entry-level products to attract a wider customer base. Loewe's basket bag range for example sells out year after year, making it the perfect summer designer handbag at a fraction of the cost of their leather handbags. Lemaire's quilted canvas bag is a great everyday bag, as is Saint Laurent's Uptown Textured bag.

For more fashion-forward styles, try Ganni and Staud, and go to Acne and Aupen for some classic styles that will seamlessly fit into your everyday wardrobe.

So, fancy a treat without waiting for several paydays? Keep scrolling to shop my edit of chic designer handbags under £500.

Shop best designer handbags under £500: 

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.

With contributions from