What is a Royal Warrant? And Which Designer Bag Brands Have One?

photo by Jorge Donaire / CC BY / edited: resized, sharper

Royal warrants are issued by royal families, or family members, to companies from whom they regularly (over a period of years) purchase goods or services. In this way, a royal warrant indicates the patronage of a royal family or royal family member and allows a company to advertise this fact, thus lending them prestige. Obviously, royal warrants can only be obtained in countries that still have a royal family so this does limit the number of luxury brands that have attained a royal warrant. 

As this blog is dedicated to designer handbags, it seems appropriate to discuss the brands that have attained a royal warrant thanks to their designer bags. 

Loewe Vintage Shoulder Bag in Textured Brown Leather

This beautiful texture leather Loewe shoulder bag is the newest arrival in my studio. The Loewe bags that feature this sort of textured leather date back to around the early 2000s, so this bag has clearly been very well looked after! When I first received it I was really impressed with its condition - it looks like it might only have been used once or twice, and only demonstrates light signs of wear. 

Loewe Pre Loved Bag with Twist Lock

My first ever designer bag was a pre-loved Loewe clutch in black textured leather. It had been owned by a fashion editor at a magazine who had been given it as a gift and then proceeded never to wear it; meaning that when I bought it, the bag was still in fabulous condition. I don't know much else about my clutch, but I do know that it dates back to the early 2000s and that it was from the same collection, or series of collections, as this Loewe cream leather bag. Both my clutch and this trapezoid shoulder bag feature the same twist lock feature and enjoy a similar structured, boxy shape. 

What Makes a Classic Designer Bag?

Photo by Marianna Changnon, 'Spy a Silhouette'

What makes a classic designer bag? I think that's a good, juicy question - with a lot of room for interpretation. Today, I'm going to try and tackle it, and in the process you'll hear some of my thoughts about what I think it takes for a designer bag to reach "classic" status.

A Loewe Love Affair

Photo by Jun560 / CC BY

My first ever designer handbag was a vintage Loewe clutch – and I stumbled across it completely by accident. It was a weekend and my dad had asked if I’d mind picking up a vintage clock that he’d bought online, and by a stroke of luck I said yes and headed out the door. Once I got to the sales venue I discovered a room full of gorgeous antique furniture, and a wall of designer bags on consignment.