7 Black-owned handbag brands that need to be on your radar (and in your closet!)

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Supporting Black designers is a practice that extends beyond Black History Month as there honestly are so many that it’s basically impossible to fit all of this greatness into just 28 days. Fashion is one area where there’s such a wide range of Black talent to choose from, making it such a joy to shop.

Particularly, luxury Black-owned handbag brands are having a moment more than ever before with the popularity of cult-favorite brands like TELFAR and Brandon Blackwood. In addition to those brands, however, there are several other Black-owned handbag brands that deserve your attention.

From the super sleek and modern Ree Projects quilted hobo bag to the practical and super high-quality genderless ÁWET Delina Leather Tote, check out seven bags to shop from Black designers below.

1. Homage Year Ova Vinyl Top Handle Bag, $350

Credit: Saks Fifth Avenue

Antoine Manning founded Homage Year in 2014 with the purpose of each piece serving as a “homage to our people, our culture, [and] to our environment.” The brand added that it also prides itself on “acknowledging where we stand in the midst of all of that.”

These unisex bags are crafted with comfort and longevity in mind to align with the brand’s slogan: “Good quality, bad company.”

Homage Year’s Ova Vinyl Top Handle Bag is one of its newest best sellers and features a unique shape that’s versatile enough for both formal and casual wear.

2. Ree Projects Helene Mini Quilted Hobo Bag, $291 (Orig. $595)

Credit: Neiman Marcus

Black Amsterdam-based designer Desiree Kleinen founded Ree Projects in 2016 in the Benelux and later expanded globally in 2019. The skillfully trained designer, who has over two decades of industry experience, creates these unique and sleek bags to empower, inspire and include all women.

What sets Ree Projects’ bags apart from others are their distinctive shapes and constructions that add to their overall elegance.

“I want to create pieces that resonate with who I am and the world around me in a genuine way,” Kleinen said on the brand’s website. “I love to empower and inspire all the women around the globe to be herself and emphasize her strength, her pure beauty and personality.”

Ree Projects Helene Mini Quilted Hobo Bag is one of its trendiest pieces, and it looks stunning from literally every angle. Get it now at Neiman Marcus for over $300 off!

3. ÁWET Delina Leather Tote, $375

Credit: Áwet New York

ÁWET New York is a Black and LGBTQ-owned fashion brand that should definitely be on your radar. While its hoodies, joggers and outerwear are super well-made and premium, its smooth bovine leather tote is what everyone should be flocking to buy.

The high-quality tote is embossed with the ÁWET logo and has a matte black finish with a slight sheen. It also has a genderless, versatile design that makes it the ideal go-to bag for traveling, commuting or everyday use. It’s also made to be carried by hand, with handles or worn on the shoulder with the included strap.

ÁWET’s Delina Leather Tote is definitely a bag that you’ll get lots of use out of and one that’s sure to last a lifetime.

ÁWET’s founding story is also incredibly inspiring as it was started by the brand’s namesake who was forced to flee his native country of Eritrea in 1998 after becoming a refugee forced to migrate from camp to camp. He found asylum in the United States in 2000 and launched the brand in New York City.

The brand’s mission is “to support and invest in local communities around the world” and for its customers to “feel this power” when they wear its pieces.

4. Yvonne Koné Little Filippo Leather Tote, $687

Credit: Nordstrom

Yvonne Koné, a prominent Black designer hailing from Denmark, created her namesake label in 2011. The line reflects an effortless sense of style that blends story and heritage and upholds those beliefs over trends and fads. Each piece boasts a minimalist aesthetic that looks both luxe and versatile enough to fit any occasion.

All pieces are also crafted from luxury Italian-made leather and cashmere — materials that ensure that these investment pieces last a lifetime.

Yvonne Koné’s totes are some of its most popular exports, and the Little Filippo Leather Tote is a favorite among Nordstrom shoppers.

5. Yvonne Koné Yari Leather Belt Bag, $580

Credit: Nordstrom

The brand also elevates the look and feel of the traditional belt bag, with its Yari Leather Belt Bag serving as the perfect example of how these can transcend casual wear.

It’s streamlined, compact and crafted from smooth Italian pebbled calfskin leather. You can wear this practical and versatile bag at the waist, low on the hips or as a crossbody over the shoulder.

6. ASHYA Heritage Checker Bolo Crossbody Bag, $255 (Orig. $425)

Credit: Nordstrom

American and Jamaican design duo Ashley Cimone and Moya Annece co-founded the accessories design label ASHYA in 2017. Rooted in travel, cultural awareness and “the act of unifying style and utility,” the brand first emerged as an “ode to exploration,” a theme that lent to its utilitarian and unique aesthetic.

The brand’s website explains that the design inspiration for these bags came from Black, Brown and Indigenous communities and transient modern life.

Though a bit pricey, these bags feature top-of-the-line materials and construction that make them true keepsakes that you’ll be able to pass down for generations. The best-selling ASHYA Heritage Checker Bolo Crossbody Bag is crafted from check-embossed vegetable-tanned leather, has 14k-gold plating details and is hand-stitched in Los Angeles. The bolo strap allows it to be used in so many different ways.

It also has a top zip-around closure, a magnetic-snap flap closure, a removable and adjustable crossbody/backpack strap, an interior card slot and an organic cotton canvas lining.

7. Love,Cortnie Arya Mini Leather Backpack, $228

Credit: Love,Cortnie

Cortnie Elizabeth started her namesake brand in her grandmother’s kitchen during the summer of 2011. The idea of making her first bag — a clutch — was born when she was playing around on her grandmother’s sewing machine and noticed some scrap fabric that she could repurpose.

A week after her grandmother taught her how to sew, she made her first clutch in a little over three hours. A week later, Cortnie opened her Etsy shop with just three bags available. Today, she’s created over 200 different styles and branched out from clutches into making totes, bucket bags, waist bags, backpacks and more. Every Love,Cortnie piece is handmade and well-constructed.

The Arya Leather Backpack is one of her top sellers to date and comes in over 20 colors.

If you enjoyed this story, check out these 10 affordable Coach bags that are all 70% off during the brand’s clearance sale.

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