4 Luxurious & Affordable Bags That Are Also Genderless

Greg Emmanuel
3 min readFeb 27, 2021

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Traditionally, we’ve seen handbags worn mainly just by women, aside from the select, fashion-forward men in the utopic, fashion universe. But, today’s men and women are actively embracing their eclectic senses of style outside of the traditional mold that society used to try to hold over us. Thankfully we have broken free from that chain and are actually having fun with clothes and embracing style as personal expression. And today’s designers are making it easy for us to do so by providing genderless assortments and unisex handbags! It’s the handbags for me, so I’m going to share four designer bags that I think would elevate anyone’s style. Think starting five, but make it four.

Dark olive Telfar in size small.

Let’s start with the new “it” bag for both genders, the Telfar bag. The vegan leather bag is offered in three different sizes (small, medium, and large) and features standard handles and cross-body straps for wearable versatility. The bag features an embossed Telfar logo and ranges from $150-$257 retail. Let me just say it’s clearly the quality and affordability for all of us because this bag sells out each time Telfar restocks. If you wish to add this bag to your collection, you must be quick on your feet and monitor the Telfar instagram. Good luck.

Yshaia mini.

The Yshaia bag is sold by the NYC-based brand, Edas. Honestly, this amazing, female-owned brand offers a variety of great handbags, but I’ll just highlight the Yshaia for the purposes of this article. The stylish bag features an adjustable handle with a belt loop (I told you it was stylish). It is made out of leather and is offered in a number of pleasant hues. This bag has a mini version ($275) and a regular-sized version ($435). Edas designs with women in mind, and markets their bags towards women, but I can see their bags swinging both ways.

Ashya’s Bolo bag.

Ashya is another amazing, female-owned brand that offers a number of beautiful handbags. Their Bolo bag is made out of pebbled leather and offered in a variety of colors. The bag features 14k gold plated hardware and adjustable straps that allow you to wear the bag in several different ways. Ashya is great at making their bags very versatile and you get a taste of that with this bag. It can be worn around the neck, across the body, around the waist, and even as a backpack. It retails for $375.

Brandon Blackwood’s ‘End Systematic Racism’ tote.

This particular bag designed by Brandon Blackwood New York was created in the midst of 2020 and is sort of a way to engage in social activism. The bag is made out of canvas and features the phrase “End Systematic Racism” in the center of the bag. It also features standard handles and a detachable, cross-body strap. Unfortunately, this bag is no longer available for purchase because of the intentional purpose it served. However, it was a hit and will always be remembered as a moment in time. There may be a chance to get your hands on one as a second-hand purchase. Until then, if that time ever arrives, Brandon Blackwood has us covered with his extensive assortment of affordable, luxury handbags offered on his website.

The great thing aside from all of these handbags being affordable, luxurious, and versatile is that they are all designed by black designers. I love to see it!

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