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The holiday season is far from over: New Year’s is right around the corner, promising a glitzy and glamorous goodbye to 2024. Short on time in terms of buying a festive holiday cocktail dress, or don’t want to splurge on a new gown after all that holiday gift shopping? We have just the solution: an evening bag that is sure to elevate any outfit and make you the life of the party as the page turns to a new year.
The key to shopping for a luxe evening bag, of course, is making sure it can last you well beyond your New Year’s Eve all-nighter — which means doing a bit of trend forecasting. Fortunately, runway fashions can help with that. Spring 2025, for instance, promises many loud luxury infusions to otherwise quiet luxury styles: with the help of shoes, yes, but especially handbags. Need proof? Jimmy Choo unveiled the Diamond Hobo bag this year, with a trapezoid silhouette and a silver foil–like finish. In a similar vein, Rodo’s spring 2025 collection at Milan Fashion Week boasted embellished statement bags that didn’t shy away from a little sparkle.
Last year’s spring season, too, saw the rise of metallic-coated and rhinestone-studded silver bags, and fall 2024 — what with its feather-trimmed mini-bags from Prada in joy-sparking colors or Chloe’s calfskin shoulder bag bedazzled with fanciful baubles — also spared no amount of fun. This should give you all the more reassurance that investing in a designer handbag which goes a step (or two, or three) beyond your all-neutrals capsule wardrobe is a self-gift that will keep on giving.
For those who like prints on their bags, trend projections look promising. We’ve witnessed the boom of animal and nature-inspired patterning that goes beyond snakeskin or cheetah this fall, which manifested itself in realms beyond fashion (think fabrics for the home that look like a moth’s wings). In fashion, though, ready-to-wear collections like Isabelle Marant’s glam-ranch-meets-boho one for fall 2024 showed how seamlessly a printed bag can fit in with an overall look punctuated by everything from leopard-print tights to leopard-print jackets.
Top Designer Evening Bags of 2024
All in all, spring 2025 designer bags will merge two worlds — one of unapologetic flashiness and one of subtle minimalism, with leather numbers like those seen on Loewe’s runway (which operated under the modus operandi of “radical reduction” this year) or suede ones, à la Khaite’s sold-out Audrey clutch. As proof of concept for more maximalist leanings, a full-on gold birdcage was carried at the Chanel spring 2025 show in Paris, for example, and this season also debuted Paco Rabanne’s 1969 Nano bag paved in 18-karat gold, as well as the designer’s similarly breathtaking offerings crafted out of Murano glass and ceramic disks.
Clearly, there’s a lot of room for play in choosing your new favorite designer handbag for evenings: whether you want it to be the star of your ensemble, have it stand out but not too much (in the form of jewel-toned hues sans add-ons and bling), or would rather keep the spotlight on your disco ball–adjacent party dress. Below, we’ve rounded up the 10 top luxury evening bags that will pay dividends based on the sheer amount of times you’ll use them — in service of being the best-dressed individual at the soirée.
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Tory Burch Mini Fleming Feather Hobo Bag
In her spring 2025 show, Tory Burch introduced the Pierced bag, an unlined leather hobo bag that speaks a quiet, understated kind of lexicon. Though it was much-anticipated and much-lauded, the Mini Fleming Feather Hobo Bag is perhaps a more memorable party purse: one that comes in light or dark iterations, is made of Italian satin, and resembles ostriches if ostriches were high-brow fashionistas.
Look beyond all the feathers and you’ll discover hand-applied sequins which, in conjunction with that golden chain strap, will make this the last must-have essential you’ll grab before going out for the night. PS: Fringe was one of the leading ways designers made evening bags more “novelty” in their spring 2025 shows, so you absolutely can’t go wrong with this style. Pair it with a simple mini dress for maximum impact.
Price upon publish date of this article: $798
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
Coach New Year Tabby Shoulder Bag 20 With Quilting
Coach has no shortage of TikTok-viral bags and an equally large number of ways in which you can style them to add flair. This Coach Tabby bag, however, is a rare beauty. In Brass/Gold, its metallic crinkle leather looks like the embodiment of New Year’s Eve glamour (hence the name of the showy statement bag). Coach’s New Year collection celebrates the year of the snake by taking their archival 1970s styles to newer, more modern heights. The gilded finish and the brand’s signature hardware ensure this bag will turn heads by itself, but if you want to go a step beyond (New Year’s resolutions are on the horizon, after all!), upgrade it with maximalist Coach accessories like the Y2K-inspired Cherry Bag Charm or fun-loving Motif Chain Bag Charm.
Price upon publish date of this article: $395
St. Agni Shell Clutch
Runways, streets, and everyday closets alike have been chock-full of bags with east-west orientations for quite some time now. The St. Agni Shell Clutch turns this status quo on its head with a curvilinear, futuristic design that will add instant interest and allure to even the most basic evening ensemble. What’s more, its chocolate colorway is quite in line with the ultra-trendy Pantone Color of the Year for 2025 — Mocha Mousse, not that you need reminding. While this handbag might look impractical, this is far from the truth. It features a magnetic closure for ease of access to your go-to red lipstick and a circular hand detail that will make you inclined to carry it everywhere, well beyond December 31.
Price upon publish date of this article: $539
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
Aupen Nirvana Ice Handbag
Selena Gomez was seen flaunting a shimmering purse from the celeb-loved brand Aupen last year — while first wearing a thigh-length jacket and Jimmy Choo sandals and then switching up the look later in the day to a black slip dress and faux fur coat (the peak of evening wear, if you ask us). This particular Nirvana Ice model a 2.0 version of Gomez’s handbag pick and is a crystal-encrusted masterpiece with a calfskin leather base plus a braided handle whose gems are wont to refract rays of sunlight or, alternatively, nightclub projections. The shoulder bag is small enough to snuggle under your armpit, which also means you can level it up through more dramatic and voluminous outfit choices (read: faux fur coats).
Price upon publish date of this article: $340
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
Larroudé Venice Flat Mule and Pouch Kit
Shopping for handbags, in the best of cases, is all about maximizing value — and this two-in-one slippers and clutch combo is the definition of a luxury-yet-value buy. Not only does it come with the brand’s elegant, golden, made-in-Brazil Venice mules but also offers a pouch from the same material. While the latter is made for housing said slippers, we encourage wearing it out of the house with an all-black outfit for a high contrast moment. That kid metallic leather is a stunner and fits right in with spring 2025’s emphasis on shiny finishes.
Price upon publish date of this article: $350
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
Hunting Season The Small Top Handle Bag
Can’t get over the supremacy of animal prints? Let this suede bag be your self-gift for a successful 2024. It exudes Audrey Hepburn–like elegance while letting loose with that leopard print, and its adjustable strap option creates opportunities for day-to-night versatility. To prevent too much busyness when it comes to patterns, wear it with a simple, adornment-free dress… but don’t forget eye-catching heels as the ultimate cherry on top of it all.
Price upon publish date of this article: $795
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
Gucci Jackie 1961 Small Shoulder Bag
If you’re already hesitant about taking out a small loan to finance a New Year’s party dress, buying a $3,800 bag might make you all the more apprehensive, but, in this particular case, it’s completely worth it. At the Gucci women’s fashion show during this year’s Milan Fashion Week, Dakota Johnson sported the Jackie 1961 handbag in tandem with a white lace maxi dress, oversized leather coat, and black slingback pumps. To us, that’s the most advantageous way to style this top Gucci bag while accentuating its crescent shape — especially when considering the chill you’ll be faced with as you exit the party venue to hail a cab back home.
Price upon publish date of this article: $3,800
WWD/ Adam Mansuroglu
Alaïa Le Coeur Clutch in Lux Leather With Grommets
We have heart eyes for this heart-shaped shoulder bag from the Tunisian couturier Azzedine Alaïa: outfitted in grommet leather and dotted by circular perforations that add an element of edginess to an otherwise elegant and lovely look. Carry it in your hand or else let your shoulder do the work, with the help of the accompanying strap. Wearing it with a corset mini dress will allow you to further push the envelope — reiterating to other party attendees that basic really is boring.
Price upon publish date of this article: $1,550
Allie Holloway
Tory Burch Night Owl Crystal-Embellished Mini Tote
From a distance, it looks like chain mail. Come closer, though, and you’ll soon realize this bag is embellished with glass crystals that dazzle and delight both. It’s a small enough size not to be bothersome on occasions when you’re constantly on your feet and can be carried either via the snake chain or the smaller crystal-topped handles. Everything from blazer dresses to lace-trimmed slips can be given new life with this wardrobe addition, which works just as well for a holiday fête as it does for a middle-of-the-year cocktail reception.
Price upon publish date of this article: $498
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
Longchamp Épure XS Tote Bag
Though tote bags are surely not the first things one thinks of when they envision chic evening bags, this particular one makes an ideal day-to-night transition and does so in style — featuring a deep jewel tone that speaks volumes yet manages to be more restrained than, say, fringe. Longchamp is typically associated with its cult-favorite Le Pliage bag, so this more unusual, elongated silhouette will turn out to be just the conversation starter you’re looking for on a night out. And that calfskin finish? Smooth, silky, and simply irresistible.
Price upon publish date of this article: $465
WWD / Adam Mansuroglu
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Meet the Author
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska frequently covers luxury handbags fit for all occasions, but particularly those that mandate glam and sparkle.
