Best Handbags of 2015

We hope you agree that the handbags listed in this section are top notch. If you think you know better selections, you are welcome to share your thoughts — adding or removing product from this section is a possibility, and the list is open to suggestions in the same spirit as the best-of-2015 hub.

The 2015 handbag list is, in practice, a Christian Louboutin story with a Gucci closing chapter. Four Louboutin bags carry the year — a spiked crossbody, a patent evening clutch, a multicolored pouch and a mini carryall — and a maple brown leather tote from Gucci closes the list with a reminder that investment pieces are not always black and white.

A boutique display table with a periwinkle blue spiked crossbody bag, a glossy red patent clutch, a multicolored pouch and a maple brown leather tote under a gold sign in the center reading Apparel Search

Sweet Charity: The Spiked Crossbody

This lovely periwinkle blue crossbody bag is from Christian Louboutin. It is called Sweet Charity and is a small spiked crossbody bag. "Sweet Charity" is a favorite among Louboutin ladies everywhere: her petite, elegant body and soft bow detail make her an irresistible pick for evening essentials, and the vibrant pervenche calf leather with metal spikes gives the small bag a strong color story.

The details reward a close look: a calfskin mini bag with tonal plastic spikes, shiny gunmetal hardware, and a chain crossbody strap that pulls through the top of the bag with a 24 1/2-inch drop. The magnetic-snap flap carries a leather and chain-mesh bow with a dome stud band, and inside there is a back slide pocket, an interior slide pocket, and faille lining in Christian Louboutin's signature red. It measures 3 1/2 inches high by 6 inches wide by 2 inches deep, weighs 13 ounces, and is made in Italy. Sweety Charity — the spelling varies across the season's listings — comes in a variety of colors, including a version with an assortment of colorful spikes.

Riviera Clutch: Evening on the Côte d'Azur

"Riviera Clutch" may have been inspired by the ladies of the Côte d'Azur — the quintessential Mediterranean playground — but her appeal has a much wider reach. This exquisite evening bag in gorgeous poppy patent leather, with her signature Louboutin logo clasp, is a must-have for Louboutin ladies everywhere.

The example shown here is in red, but it is important to note that additional colors are also available. Patent leather suits the clutch's job: it is an evening bag first, meant to be carried to dinners and events where a small, polished shape matters more than capacity, and the logo clasp is the whole decoration the bag needs.

Aliosha Pouch: Color for the Run

Looking to toss in a bit more color in 2015? If yes, you may be interested in the Aliosha Pouch from Christian Louboutin. Clean, pristine and structured, and detailed with an outer pocket and zippers to fit daily essentials, "Aliosha Pouch" is for the man or woman on the run.

This multicolored version gives a fun, modern touch to a classic silhouette. Where Sweet Charity is an evening bag and the Riviera Clutch is a formal one, the Aliosha Pouch is the daytime answer: structured enough to look deliberate, colorful enough to lift a plain outfit, and practical enough to carry the essentials without a larger bag.

Passage Mini: The Compact Carryall

If you do not wish to lug around a massive bag, but you do not want a clutch, you may want to try a mini sized handbag from Christian Louboutin. The "Passage Mini" is the ultimate compact carryall for Spring/Summer 2015.

This Passage Mini bag's chic hardware is inspired by the architecture of the Galerie Véro-Dodat in Paris, where the Louboutin label was born. Extremely versatile, you can wear her as a cross-body or on the shoulder with her long detachable strap. You can also carry her by hand using her leather hand strap or beautiful arc-shaped handles. This vibrant pervenche version provides just the right pop of color to ensembles this season.

Gucci Soho: The Investment Tote

Looking for classy elegance with a touch of flare? Look no further. Add a touch of luxurious practicality without sacrificing style. Crafted in maple brown leather, this tote proves investment pieces are not always black and white.

Here is the Soho leather shoulder bag from Gucci. It is the list's quiet counterpoint to the Louboutin run: a larger, everyday shoulder bag in a warm brown, where the Louboutin bags are small, bright and spiked. Between them, the 2015 list covers the two ways a handbag earns its place — as a statement piece and as a daily workhorse.

Common Questions

What colors does the Sweet Charity crossbody come in?

The periwinkle blue version shown first is the signature example, but Sweet Charity comes in a variety of colors, including a version with an assortment of colorful spikes on the same small spiked crossbody shape.

What inspired the Passage Mini's hardware?

The architecture of the Galerie Véro-Dodat in Paris, where the Louboutin label was born. The Passage Mini's chic hardware draws on that Parisian arcade, and the bag can be worn cross-body, on the shoulder with its long detachable strap, or carried by hand.

Which 2015 handbag works as an everyday bag rather than an evening bag?

The Aliosha Pouch for a colorful daytime carry, and above all the Gucci Soho leather shoulder bag in maple brown leather — the list's investment tote, sized and shaped for daily use where the Louboutin evening bags are small and occasion-specific.