Small Luxuries: Handbags

The fashion, trends, and stories behind the world’s most coveted purses and handbags in one stylish little book. From classic standards to contemporary boundary pushers, Small Luxuries: Handbags explores one of the world’s most coveted yet accessible forms of style and fashion, tracing how today’s handbags have evolved into cultural symbols of identity, creativity, and status. Across four richly illustrated chapters, discover the design breakthroughs, subcultures, and collaborations that reshaped the global market. Featuring over 80 photographs and illustrations, this compact yet luxurious volume spotlights: - Iconic brands and bags such as the Fendi Baguette, Hermes Kelly and Birkin, Chanel 2.55, Louis Vitton Speedy, Lady Dior,  Celine Luggage Tote, Balenciaga City, Loewe Puzzle Bag, and many more- Celebrity and manufacturer partnerships and limited-edition releases that define today’s handbag economy- Sustainability and resale culture Both a robust history and a collector’s keepsake, Small Luxuries: Handbags transports you to a world of high fashion, personal style, and endless customization and creativity. Whether for a collector, dreamer, or everyday admirer, this book is a “small luxury” every aspiring collector deserves.  Small Luxuries celebrates the artistry of the everyday objects that shape our style and stories. Each volume explores the craft, culture, and character behind these beloved obsessions, revealing how they evolve into lifelong passions. Richly illustrated and insightfully written, the series is a tribute to the makers, materials, and memories that turn familiar belongings into extraordinary icons of personal expression and style. Also available from the series: Small Luxuries: Watches Small Luxuries: Film Cameras Small Luxuries: Vinyl

Emily Blumenthal, celebrated by the New York Times as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” is a dynamic presence in the handbag industry. As the author and podcast host of Handbag Designer 101, she plays multifaceted roles as a professor, mentor, and founder of the Independent Handbag Designer Awards. Her dedication extends to kidpreneurship, empowering children of all ages with her book, Savvy Suzanna’s Amazing Adventures of Handbags. Emily resides with her family in New York City’s Lower East Side. You can learn more about Emily and what she does at @HandbagDesigner and emilyblumenthal.com. 

Introduction: What We Carry Chapter 1: Form, Function & Desire Chapter 2: Craft, Heritage & Innovation Chapter 3: Power, Status & Symbolism Chapter 4: Future Carried Forward Index