This page can contain affiliate links – we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using links on this page. This has no extra cost for you.
We all know Hermes has superb quality, but are there any other brands that are of similar quality? We look at the best Hermes alternatives that you can buy now.
About Hermes
Hermès is one of the top luxury fashion houses in the world, best known for iconic handbags, luxurious silk scarves, and beautiful ready-to-wear collections. The Hermès bags are some of the most in-demand and exclusive handbags on the market, particularly the Hermès Birkin and Hermès Kelly, for which there are long waiting lists.
One of the reasons why there is such a long wait for customers to buy a Hermès handbag is due to the incredible craftsmanship that goes into making a Hermès bag.
The Hermès leather goods are treated like a work of art, crafted from exceptional raw materials and leathers by one artisan who will create each item to achieve a high standard finish so each piece will last a lifetime.
Each artisan undergoes years of training within the Hermès brand in order to qualify to be a Hermès craftsman and has their own stamp so any piece can be sent back to the original craftsman if any repairs are required.
Brands that are comparable to Hermes’ quality
If you love the attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship of Hermès bags, then here are 5 more brands that have similarly high levels of craftsmanship and quality.
All of these brands create beautiful handbags that would make incredible heirloom pieces to pass down the generations of your family. So let’s delve right into the brand with comparable quality to Hermes.
1. Moynat
Price for new handbags: $2,700 – $7,800
Moynat is a French luxury brand with a rich history, creating luxurious handbags and luggage since its founding in 1849. The Moynat atelier resides in France, while there is another Moynat workshop in Italy, and each is home to highly trained craftsmen who utilize their skills to create high-quality leather goods.
Each handbag or small leather good features meticulous stitching, hand-painted edges, and artisanal finishing touches, such as hand-painted motifs or expert leather work. The Moynat brand is dedicated to mastering the skill of haute maroquinerie, making use of the highest-quality leathers, and accentuating the qualities of the material with embossing, debossing, and shaping techniques.
There is a wide range of leathers that are used by this brand, including natural calf leather, taurillon leather, and Reve calf leather, and each has been specifically chosen to fit the silhouette and style of the bag. Moynat also offers personalization services, where you can have your name or initials hand painted onto the bag in the archival Moynat font or a new design created specifically for the owner.
Moynat may not use one artisan for each bag like Hermès, but their quality leather work, exquisite finishing touches, and beautiful personal touch makes this brand a fantastic Hermès alternative.
Resale Value
Even though Moynat’s quality is comparable to that of Hermes, it seems like the brand does not retain its value as much. Therefore, you can find some excellent condition Moynat bags for a great price.
2. Delvaux
Price range for new handbags: $1,850 – $10,300
Delvaux is the oldest fine leather goods house in the world and they have been perfecting their quality and craftsmanship for decades to ensure luxurious leather goods each time.
The brand was founded in 1829 in Brussels and has remained at the top of luxury leather handbags and small leather goods, making Delvaux the closest brand to Hermès in terms of quality.
Delvaux handbags are made within their ateliers in Brussels and France by the house’s expert craftsmen and artisans. The brand is known for making use of traditional techniques that are passed down from generation to generation of artisans as well as innovative methods in order to create the highest quality pieces with striking designs.
Each item is treated like a work of art, made from high-quality leather and crafted by highly-skilled leather artisans who cut, shape, stitch, and finish each bag by hand to the highest standard. The brand works closely with tanneries in France and Italy in order to source luxurious leather, and each hide has to fit strict criteria to be selected and then made into a stunning Delvaux handbag.
Resale value: Delvaux seem to be holding its value for certain handbags. Of course, none of these brands will come close to Hermes’ resale value, but Delvaux bags do have a decent return.
3. Valextra
Price range for new handbags: $1,550 – $5,600
Valextra is an Italian leather goods and accessories brand founded in Milan in 1937 by Giovanni Fontana, specializing in luxurious luggage, handbags, and smaller accessories.
Valextra was particularly well-known for its use of exotic leathers, including alligator and hippopotamus skins, but there are now plenty of calf leather options available too.
Valextra produces all of its leather goods handmade in Italy to the highest standard by skilled artisans. These artisans, just like with Hermès, stamp a number on the inside of each of the pieces they make so each luxury item can be traced to one craftsman to verify the items have reached the high Valextra standard.
The majority of Valextra bags are made from soft-grained Martellato calfskin or smooth Parigi leather, and finished with exquisitely engineered hardware and hand-painted edges. The techniques used by the Valextra artisans are all traditional skills that have been passed down the generations, which perfectly contrasts with the engineered closures and fine detailing which ensure a sleek, contemporary finish for each Valextra bag.
Just like Hermès, it is key that these techniques that have been honed over the decades are preserved, so there is now a Valextra craftsmanship program that will ensure these incredible skills will be safeguarded for the future.
4. Loro Piana
Price range for new handbags: $1,200 – $5,000
Another fantastic alternative to Hermès is the beautiful bags from Loro Piana, who are famed for their luxurious clothing, accessories, and leather goods. This Italian fashion house specializes in cashmere clothing and textiles but has also implemented this same attention to detail and high-quality finish to their leather goods.
Loro Piana was founded in 1924 and has been searching for top-quality raw materials ever since. Just like Hermes, the brand is vertically integrated which means Loro Piana oversees all stages of production, from the natural fibers all the way through to the final product.
After decades of work, Loro Piana has found the best places and farms to source their fibers and materials from. Loro Piana pulls their textiles and cashmere from South America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Mongolia to guarantee a luxe look and feel for all of their clothing and textiles.
The artisans that craft Loro Piana pieces make use of both traditional, ancestral skills and contemporary, innovative techniques to make sure each item is made to the highest standard. Loro Piana is also committed to leaving pieces natural, which is why you will see many Loro Piana clothes and handbags are in neutral colors so there is minimal dying for each fabric.
5. Laurus
Price range for new handbags: $1,000 – $18,000
Laurus is best known for incredible handbags and leather goods made from exotic skins, making the brand a great alternative to Hermès if you have your eye on an ostrich or alligator Hermès handbag.
Similar to Hermes, Laurus takes the quality and craftsmanship of their pieces very seriously, with each piece made in the brand’s workshop in northern Italy by craftsmen who are experts in working with exotic leathers. Laurus works closely with the Italian tanneries who are producing the leather to ensure each piece of leather is top quality in order to create a luxurious Laurus handbag.
The leather is hand cut, stitched, painted, and finished with gleaming hardware by a wide range of craftsmen who pass on their skill and technique to new artisans, guaranteeing each Laurus piece is of the same top standard.
This craftsmanship means Laurus leather goods and handbags will really stand the test of time, and just like an Hermès bag, they are intended to be passed down the generations as an heirloom piece.
Should you invest in an Hermes bag or an Hermes alternative?
Now that you’ve read about all our favorite Hermes alternatives, you might be wondering whether or not it’s worth investing in an Hermes alternative. We can’t make this decision for you but we can provide some guidelines.
When to buy an Hermes bag instead of another brand with similar quality:
1. When you have your heart set on a certain Hermes bag. If you love the Birkin for example, chances are that you don’t only love the overall shape of the bag, but everything that makes the Birkin a Birkin. You’re not going to find the perfect bag to replace a B on Valextra or Delvaux, so it’s better to just buy the bag that you really want.
2. When resale value is very important for you. If you’re buying bags as investment, then Hermes is just unparalleled. Yes, you might pay a lot for an H bag, especially on the resale market but you can be pretty sure that you can easily recoup your investment if you decide to sell.
3. When status is important to you. In certain circles you might get more “status points” for carrying a understated Moynat bag, but in most circles people are unaware of these great Hermes alternatives.
When to buy an Hermes alternative instead
- If you’re unbothered about the actual brand but you’re very into bags with good quality and amazing craftsmanship and heritage.
- When you don’t care about the resale value. With the majority of these bags you’re not going to make money selling them – they are therefore not an “investment”. If you rarely sell your bags or you don’t care about selling at a loss, then some alternatives are great.
- If you don’t want to spend an obscene amount of money for an Hermes bag. Even thought H’s quality is great we can now see that there are many Hermes alternatives with very similar quality at a lower price point.
- If you enjoy being different and not having the same bags as most people in your circle.
Conclusion: Top 5 alternatives to Hermes bags
We hope you enjoyed our article about our favorite Hermes alternatives. We truly believe that these 5 brands: Moynat, Delvaux, Valextra, Loro Piana and Laurus are excellent alternatives to Hermes. All brands have amazing craftsmanship, rich heritage and a vast array of bags that you can choose from.
