If you’re adding a new bag to your wardrobe, check out our list of luxury bag brands by Asian designers.
What had once historically been a developing market now easily accounts for the lion’s share of demand for designer goods. The numbers are indicative of this fact: the Asia-Pacific market’s reckoning has arrived, with a projected market volume of US$166.30bn driven by an estimated 3.90% in growth between 2024 and 2028.
In the case of luxury handbags alone, the region accounted for an estimated USD 12.14 billion of market value in 2024, with young professionals from the age of 25 and middle-aged adults upwards of 50 remaining key drivers of growth for the sector. With that being said, luxury in this case most typically refers to legacy European houses that represent the most prominent contenders within the segment.
Try as one might, naming more than just a small clutch of bag brands by Asian designers can prove to be challenging given how most lack the marketing spend for global campaigns across multiple touchpoints. But you’ll be surprised to learn how many contemporary luxury labels founded and operated by Asians now proliferate the industry, offering up thoughtfully considered and most importantly, robustly crafted alternatives to mainstream labels.
Take Senreve’s Coral Chung for example, who built a success story off the foundations of practical luxury that saw their Maestra bag gaining widespread acclaim among industry pundits and customers alike for its adaptability. Or BOYY co-founder Wannasiri Kongman, whose bold, big-buckled bags have become an emerging staple in the closets of those who know.
Whether you’re in the market for a practical work tote that will gobble up work essentials or a svelte evening clutch for a night around the town, do yourself a favour by browsing through these Asian-owned contemporary luxury bag brands for your next splurge.
Feature and hero image credits: songmont/Instagram, gu de/Instagram
12 luxury bag brands by Asian designers to shop from this AAPI month
Jump To / Table of Contents
- 1 SENREVE
- 2 Songmont
- 3 KWANPEN
- 4 Aupen
- 5 Pipatchara
- 6 OSOI
- 7 Gu De
- 8 JW Pei
- 9 Apede mod
- 10 Cafuné
- 11 Self-Portrait
- 12 Aesther Ekme
SENREVE
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Former tech executive Carol Chung realised one aspect that was sorely lacking in the luxury handbag market: designs that toed the line between both style and practicality, with many often sacrificing one for the other. Established in 2015, SENREVE has since gone on to become one of the most reputable Asian-owned luxury bag labels from the past decade by addressing these concerns through a wealth of incredibly well-thought-out styles, chiefly led by the Maestra and its ability to transform into a top handle bag, a crossbody, and even a backpack. Easily keeping pace with its counterparts for quality, all SENREVE bags are made in Italy with exceptional leathers.
Founder: Carol Chung
Songmont
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Motherhood presents a new layer of considerations regarding fashion, with women adopting a preference for the practical when juggling between keeping children well-fed, homes well-run, and careers well-attended. Chinese contemporary luxury bag brand Songmont understands that inherently, especially given how it was conceived by founder Song Fu, who realised the challenges in finding a bag that could juggle all her requirements as a new mother returning to the workforce. As a standard, Songmont bags underscore several key values: ease of use, style, and longevity, all of which are expressed in their best-selling Song bucket bag.
Founder: Song Fu
KWANPEN
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The ultra-high luxury segment is often synonymous with major players from across the European continent. But did you happen to know that a storied label boasting a similarly decorated 86-year legacy in designer goods can be found in Singapore? Conceived by the late Kwan Pen Seng back in 1938, their discreet bags have found their way into the hands of Asia’s high society circles, beloved for their exceeding craftsmanship. Handmade in Singapore with a specialisation in exotic leathers such as crocodile and lizard, the family-owned enterprise is most recognised for its Raffles 1819 top-handle bag.
Founder: Kwan Pen Seng
Aupen
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On the other end of the price spectrum, Aupen caters to a wider set of contemporary trendsetters through its bevy of clean, pared-down lines. Just like KWANPEN, this venture also hails from Singapore but has since had a global impact on the fashion landscape when it became the go-to off-duty bag of choice for celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, and even Beyoncé. Asymmetry is a key hallmark of Aupen’s bag designs, as evidenced by styles such as the Purpose and the Fearless shoulder bags.
Founder: Skye Tan
Pipatchara
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One could say that Thai entrepreneur Pipatchara “Petch” Kaeojinda was always destined for success in fashion. Boasting an innate talent that nabbed her a full scholarship with the illustrious Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne fashion school, she went on to work stints in Ralph Lauren, Chloe, and Givenchy before turning her attention to the prospect of establishing her own label. Pipatchara was the product of that aspiration, led by her whimsically embellished macrame netted bags which are all made in Thailand.
Founder: Pipatchara “Petch” Kaeojinda
OSOI
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Newsflash: handbags are no longer just a feminine affair, if you haven’t already noticed. And much of that shift in dynamic can be attributed to contemporary designers such as Heejin Kang, whose label OSOI aims to push the envelope in androgynous style by introducing designs that work on just about anybody. Playing well into sartorial trends of the moment, bags such as the Folder Brot and Dumpring crossbody make ideal accent pieces to casual chic looks when out and about in the city.
Founded by: Heejin Kang
Gu De
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It’s a tall order to expect contemporary fashion labels to establish new classics from within their core range of products in a rapid succession of just a few scant years, but South Korean brand Gu De (that’s pronounced ‘good’, by the way) may just be well on their way to doing just that. As its founder and creative director Ji Hye Koo explains, the label was conceived from a love of vintage apparel, as indicated by their range of bags that are informed by two core codes — quality leathers and refined hardware. Marrying the two in perfect unison is their signature Love bag, which blurs the line between a traditional top handle and a tote.
Founder: Ji Hye Koo
JW Pei
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Fun, funky, and always on the pulse of the next big thing in fashion, Los Angeles-based accessories brand JW Pei has come quite a long way since its infancy in 2016. Aiming to push for more design-forward vegan leather bags, this young upstart quickly made its presence felt among trendsetters on a global scale, with everyone from Anne Hathaway to Gigi Hadid considering themselves fans. The Abacus bag continues to be one of the best-selling pieces from their line, having been introduced in all manner of iterations from crystal-studded club apropos styles to luscious ski-lodge ready shearling takes.
Founders: Yang Pei and Stephanie Li
Apede mod
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A New York-based brand co-founded by designer Jaquelyn Wang and fashion buyer Claudia Lin, Apede mod is yet another Asian-led bag brand that has minted a name for itself through a combination of inventive designs and delightful ease of use. This makes for exceptionally lightweight shapes that blend seamlessly into every pace of life, providing every woman with a dependable and carefree way to bring their belongings with them as they go about their day. Their Garden tote bag expresses these virtues in true form, sporting a garden bucket-inspired design that grants it incredible capacity.
Founders: Jaquelyn Wang and Claudia Lin
Cafuné
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Penned by a designer who formerly worked under Coach, Philip Lim 3.1, as well as rag and bone, bags from Hong Kong label Cafuné carry much of the same elevated sophistication that its predecessors do. The brainchild of Queenie Fan and Day Lau, the premise is to promote longevity through design by relying on classic shapes and quality construction. A masterstroke in execution that showcases both facets is the Stance bag, sporting a traditional trapezoidal shape and a top handle, but artfully interspersed with the brand’s C Lock Clasp prominently featured on the front.
Founders: Queenie Fan and Day Lau
Self-Portrait
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While it may have had its start in London, fashion label Self-Portrait was founded by Penang-born designer, Han Chong. Unapologetically delicate and girly, the brand’s offerings lean heavily into the froufrou with its use of bedazzled embellishments and signature bow details throughout its apparel and accessory ranges. Where bags are concerned, satin and crystal creations dominate the offerings, adding a decidedly soft touch for soirees or special occasions. Just about every notable woman under the sun has been seen with a Self-Portrait item, from HRH Princess Catherine to former First Lady Michelle Obama, and cultural icon Paris Hilton.
Founder: Han Chong
Aesther Ekme
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There’s a distinct chord of fashion that strikes among those who live in Nordic countries such as Sweden and Denmark. While practical essentials are key, there’s no reason why style should be compromised. Sleek, clean silhouettes are key, while visual appeal takes the form of avant garde tailoring and accessories, such as bags from Aesther Ekme. Highly distinctive in their minimally embellished forms, they add an elevated facet to even the most pared-down of ensembles.
Founder: Stephane Park
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Written by
Benjamin Wong
Senior Editor, Fashion and Dining
Armed with an Advertising major from Lancaster University, Benjamin is a senior editor who has spent his time oscillating between the social media and digital media landscape since 2018. With a keen interest in haute fashion and gastronomy, he has written for publications such as ERROR Digital, WORLD OF BUZZ, and KL Foodie. Beyond the keyboard, you can find him arms-deep in a thrift pile.
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