Best Handbag Websites for 2014

Handbags hold a special place in fashion because they are both fashionable and practical. Many women feel a genuine fond attachment to their bags, and even shoppers who would not say they adore them understand the value immediately: carrying everything you need through a day would be a pain without a pocketbook to help. That mix of pleasure and usefulness is exactly why handbags earned their own place in the best-of-2014 guides.

This page collects the handbag websites suggested during the calendar year 2014. It is a guide to websites worth visiting in 2014, not a claim that every bag shown was designed or sold only in that year — the sites very possibly discuss product from various years. The same idea sits behind the companion guide to the best shoes for 2014: start with the houses and stores that were doing handbags best, then look at the specific bags that made each one worth your time. Kept today as a historical 2014 guide, it is a snapshot of what luxury handbag shopping looked like that year.

Luxury Houses and Their Standout 2014 Bags

Loro Piana — the house's interpretation of the shopping bag in exquisite ostrich lined with napa leather. An exclusive city accessory that defines timeless elegance, its horizontal design and compact size make it ideal not only for everyday use but also for more formal occasions.

Tribu Longchamp — a handbag or shoulder bag that is neither too big nor too small, but just right. The Tribu Longchamp Toile draws its inspiration from lorikeets, the small multi-colored parrots found in Australia; the rare pattern, inspired by the beauty of the bird's feathers, is printed on linen fabric and coated from within so the accessory is both delicate and durable. Reference: 1515581213.

Coach — look for the luxuriously versatile Borough Bag, which has the elegant ease of the city whose five boroughs inspired its name. Simple and sophisticated in a lightweight version of Coach's heritage leather, it has three expandable zip-top compartments and room for everything in its beautifully lined interior. Metallic piping on the inside pockets and understated foil branding echo the richness of the lavishly plated hardware.

Giorgio Armani — a small bag in printed calfskin (item code YGWL71YG275180001), 100% calf-skin leather with a crocodile print and solid color, a framed closure, an internal zip pocket, a double handle, studs and a logo detail. Depth 4.7 inches, height 7.8 inches, strap length 14.0 inches, width 9.4 inches.

Louis Vuitton — the Audacieuse MM is a sophisticated blend of exquisite textures: supple calf leather embossed with the iconic Monogram pattern, luxurious suede details and multi-carry options make this trendsetter effortlessly chic. The lovely color pictured in the photos below is Aube.

Prada — the Aviator Blue denim flap bag (BN2669_2A64_F0154), with a double handle, a detachable adjustable leather shoulder strap and steel hardware. The snap-lock clasp is embossed with the logo, metal lettering logo sits on the leather triangle, and inside there are two pockets, including one with a zipper closure, in a leather lining. L 31 × H 25.5 × W 20 cm.

Chanel — what do you think of the Vanity Case? An iridescent grained calfskin vanity case with a metal handle, measuring 7.1 × 9.1 × 6.7 inches.

Hermès — the Victoria II in orange taurillon clemence leather, size 35, measuring 9 × 13.8 × 6.7 inches, with a canvas lining; with handles, the height is 17 inches. Ref. H050021CK93.

Mulberry — the Bayswater in Midnight Blue. A Mulberry icon, the Bayswater is a timeless and classic style that celebrates the very best of understated and exquisite leather craft. It proudly features the signature postman's lock closure and has a soft, brushed interior showcasing the exceptional level of leather quality, and the interior belted sides can be adjusted to create more space inside.

BVLGARI — a shopping bag in sodalite blue plissé shiny python skin and black calf leather, enhanced with handles in python skin and a chain with brass coins. It has a detachable Monete pendant, a zip top closure and various internal compartments, in a medium size. Reference #: 36681.

Gucci — style 338993 A2O0T 2527 in maple brown leather with antique gold hardware and a GG natural cotton lining, made in Italy. Details include a half-horsebit detail on the strap, a detachable ID tag, hand-painted edges, a strap with a 10-inch drop and hand-stitched links, a magnet closure, and interior zip and smartphone pockets; large size, 14"W × 15"H × 7"D. Gucci — luxury galore.

More Places to Shop for Handbags in 2014

Nordstrom — shop online for women's designer handbags at Nordstrom.com. Browse their selection of clutches, totes, satchels and more, plus check out customer reviews.

DSW — they don't just sell shoes. You can actually find many desirable clutches, satchels, hobos and crossbody bags at DSW, with the latest trends at fair prices.

The Loro Piana United States site is also worth a visit for the full range beyond the ostrich shopping bag above.

Honorable mention for this year: Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors.

How to Use This 2014 Guide

Read the list the way it was built: as a starting point for handbag shopping in 2014, not as a ranking carved in stone. The descriptions deliberately keep the details a shopper needed that year — leather types, linings, closures, item codes and measurements in both inches and centimeters — because those specifics are what let you identify the exact bag when you find it in a store, in a resale listing or in the back of a closet today.

Some of these styles, such as Mulberry's Bayswater and Coach's Borough Bag, were already classics or on their way to becoming ones; others, like the printed Tribu Longchamp and Prada's denim flap bag, were very much of their season. If you are shopping now, use the brand websites linked here to see what each house sells today, and use this page to understand the 2014 versions on their own terms.

Photos