Table of Contents
The best designer work bags for 2020
We spend a large majority of our waking hours at work, so hunting down the best designer work bag is essential so we can function to the best of our ability – and look great whilst doing it! With everything from meetings to spending days out and about or at a place of work, we need an equally great bag to be able to carry everything we need throughout the working day.
From working essentials such as diaries, notebooks, and laptops to personal items such as a toiletry bag, water bottle, and book, here at Handbagholic we’ve spent many years working with designer bags and wanted to pull this blog and video together to help you find the perfect designer bag to take with you to work.
The best designer work bags video
Watch our latest video on YouTube where we take you through the top 11 designer bags for the workday and demonstrate what fits inside of them.
11 of the Best Designer Handbags for Work
To kick-start and inspire your search for the best designer work bag, we’ve pulled together a table below featuring 11 of our top designer handbag picks for work. If you want to see some of these bags in action, and what fits inside, scroll further down and watch our video on YouTube for some much-needed designer meet workplace needs fill!
| Image | Brand / Style | Approx. Cost* | Can fit Laptop? | Overall Rating |
 | Louis Vuitton – OnTheGo | £1710 | Yes | 10/10 |
 | Givenchy Antigona (Medium) | £1690 | Yes | 9/10 |
 | Louis Vuitton – Neverfull MM | £995 | Yes | 8/10 |
 | Saint Laurent Sac De Jour (Small) | £2070 | No | 8/10 |
 | Louis Vuitton – Speedy 30 Bandoulière | £1030 | No | 7/10 |
 | Louis Vuitton Capucines MM | £3800 | No | 7/10 |
 | Louis Vuitton – NeoNoe | £1130 | No | 7/10 |
 | Prada Double Bag (Large) | £2120 | No | 7/10 |
 | Louis Vuitton Montaigne MM | £1770 | No | 7/10 |
 | Chanel GST Tote Bag | £1500-2000 | No | 7/10 |
 | Mulberry Zipped Bayswater (small) | £1095 | No | 7/10 |
The best designer Work Bags
1. Louis Vuitton OnTheGo Tote Bag
The Louis Vuitton OnTheGo tote bag is our number one best designer handbag for work. Why? This bag is structured, can be flipped either way for a different colour combination and it fits EVERYTHING, including a laptop easily with lots of room spare for ALL the essentials. Not many bags can match the versatility of this bag, or the sheer size to carry larger items.
Another win for this bag is the shoulder straps. Sadly, these can’t be detached but at least that means they can’t be lost! These straps are incredibly comfy and enable you to carry the bag on your shoulder easily. If the normal OnTheGo is too large for you, a new MM size is now available, as well as Empreinte leather options for a solid, less ‘in-your-face’ monogram print.
2. Givenchy Antigona – Medium
Our second favourite choice for a work designer handbag is the Givenchy Antigona. This bag is well structured, secured with chunky zip and has a detachable (on newer versions) shoulder strap. The medium is the perfect size for a laptop and other essentials, or you can opt for a small size if you don’t need to carry a laptop and as many bulky items. See our full blog on Givenchy Antigona size comparisons here.
3. Louis Vuitton Neverfull
Our third favourite, and loved by so many all around the world is the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM. This bag is big enough to carry a laptop and all other essentials, as its name suggests – this bag is a hard one to fill!
The Neverfull is also available in a GM size (the largest size available), and PM which is the smallest size. It’s also available in normal monogram canvas, as well as other prints and various limited edition styles. If you’re looking for a ‘workhorse’ of a Neverfull bag, we highly suggest the Damier ebene version or a limited edition version with black leather handles and trim. Darker leather will keep the bag looking much newer for longer, as vachetta leather will darken naturally over time.
4. Saint Laurent Sac De Jour
The Saint Laurent Sac de Jour bag is elegant, understated, and has a Hermes-Esque presence at a much more affordable price in comparison. This bag features two main compartments with a zip compartment down the center. Whilst the ‘small’ version of this bag won’t fit a laptop, it’s still surprisingly large. The small size also comes with a detachable shoulder strap, making this bag easier to carry on the shoulder.
With so many colours and leather variations, this bag is a great investment and its strong structure means it always looks great whether full or nearly empty.
5. Speedy 30
Another classic from Louis Vuitton, the speedy is a simple bag with iconic style. The speedy has a zipper across the top making it more secure – an important feature if you don’t want nosy colleagues seeing inside your bag. We highly recommend a bandouliere version, which means the Speedy comes with a detachable shoulder strap/crossbody strap. This makes the bag much more useable when it carries a lot of weight.
The speedy again comes in various sizes and styles, including some limited edition prints so the bag can be very classic, or a fun twist of colour and prints. The Speedy bag won’t take a laptop but can carry lots of other essentials. The only downside we find to the speedy is that is can be hard to put things inside as a zipper isn’t as generous compared to other bags with open tops such as a Neverfull. Some larger items need to be placed inside the bag at an angle.
6. Louis Vuitton Capucines
A classic, understand piece from Louis Vuitton the Capucines bag is understated and crafted from only the finest fabrics and leathers. Available in a range of sizes, we recommend the MM as a work bag as this is one of the largest sizes, however, the MM does not come with a detachable shoulder strap and therefore can only be carried by the leather top handle. When full, this bag can become heavy so it’s advised for carrying too far with lots of items. Due to the leather lining and top-quality leather outer, the bag isn’t the most lightweight, but I’m sure you’ll agree, it looks incredibly sophisticated.
For a full comparison of the most popular Louis Vuitton capucines sizes, read our blog here.
7. Louis Vuitton Neo Noe
The Louis Vuitton NeoNoe bucket bag is deceiving in looks. Whilst it looks like a smaller bag than some others, it will surprisingly carry very similar amounts to the Speedy bag and Sac de Jour. The NeoNoe is a great bag to ‘grab-n-go with its double shoulder strap, or simply undo the poppers and extend it to a cross body bag. Unfortunately, the neo isn’t a suitable bag for larger items such as a laptop, but for smaller diaries, note books and bottles it’s the perfect work-place companion.
The NeoNoe is the largest size available, but it comes in some limited edition prints and monogram with various leathers such as black (featured in the above video) and a beautiful baby pink.
8. Prada Double Bag
The Prada double bag is a classic and made from incredible materials. The Saffiano leather is textured and therefore much more hard-wearing than normal calf skin leather and less likely to scratch. The double bag again has two large compartments, and a centre compartment with a flap and magnetic closure. The centre compartment however can only house smaller, thin items such as a small purse.
We like the Prada double bag for its simplistic, stylish looks that looks great with so many work outfits.
9. Louis Vuitton Montaigne MM
The Louis Vuitton Montaigne bag is a less common style from Louis Vuitton if we compare it to the Neverfull or Speedy styles, but arguably is even better suited to being your favourite new work companion. This bag holds it shape incredibly well and comes with a detachable shoulder strap so it can be worn in various ways. We showcased the MM size in our video, but the Montaigne is also available in a GM size which is even larger to fit more essentials, but this bag still won’t fit a laptop inside.
10. Chanel GST Tote Bag
If you need some Chanel vibes in your life, we highly recommend a Chanel tote bag – specifically the GST tote bag. This style is no longer available from Chanel, so your only way to get hold of one would be a buy a pre-loved version. Remember, when buying pre-loved always use a reputable authentication service to get a professionals opinion on the authenticity of your new handbag. See our list of the best authenticators of designer handbags here.
The Chanel GST tote bag is a large bag for all essentials (except a laptop), and we love the chain handles on this bag which just scream Chanel chic from the rooftops.
11. Mulberry Zipped Bayswater
Finally we’ve chosen the Mulberry zipped bayswater as another great designer work bag. We like this bag specifically because it has a zip closure across the top. Other than the Givenchy Antigona, no other bag has this feature which is paramount if you want to keep the contents of your bag secure and away from prying eyes. Sadly, this bag can’t house a laptop, but can fit most essentials if you don’t need to carry too much.
I love the dream jacket…can you provide link in where to get it!