Are luxury bags still worth it? A designer on function, time and the end of logos
Paris-based designer Jérôme Dreyfuss reflects on what makes a luxury bag truly worth it today, from function and time to a rejection of logos
Are Luxury Bags Still Worth the Price in 2026?
Are luxury bags still worth it, or are we measuring the wrong thing altogether? Few objects are judged on such contradictory terms as the women’s handbag. Certainly, it is one of the most intimate and practical items a person owns: a place to keep one’s belongings close at hand, whether or not they can be found quickly. Yet within the industry, marketing and communication have worked hard to turn this accessory into a symbol not only of taste and identity, but also of status and the display of purchasing power, driving prices up to extraordinary levels. That tension—between display and dependence, image and use—makes the handbag a particularly revealing lens through which to consider high fashion today.
Jérôme Dreyfuss belongs to a rare kind of bag designer: one who thinks differently, critically and radically. It is no coincidence that he gives few interviews and, unlike superstar creative directors, prefers to remain behind the scenes of the creative process—hence his face may well be unfamiliar to many. As the husband of the better-known designer Isabel Marant, he is not interested in branding, but rather in proportion and movement, in what a bag is meant to hold, and in the life that forms around it. What follows is not just a rare conversation about accessories, but a portrait of a singular creative mind, and a clearer way of thinking about what luxury means today.
Why Jérôme Dreyfuss Feels Out of Place in Luxury Fashion
When Jérôme Dreyfuss receives me at his studio in Paris’ Marais district, I’m initially confused. Dreyfuss is considered one of France’s most successful designers, and his bags have long enjoyed cult status, both in France and beyond. Yet I had imagined one of the leading personalities in the Paris fashion industry to be different—and I mean that in the best possible way.
Curly-haired and in good spirits, he greets me from behind his desk. His office, too, defies expectations: fabrics and sketches are scattered across a simple wooden table, drawings hang on the walls, and knick-knacks are tucked in between. Dreyfuss’ workspace feels cosy, honest and authentic—just like him.
His outfit reflects this attitude as well. He pairs grey jeans and trainers with a loose-fitting purple jumper—the one piece that catches my attention, designed by his wife’s label, Isabel Marant.
Yet her presence in his life goes far beyond knitwear. It was Isabel Marant herself who inspired him to start designing bags in the first place. “My wife used to lose everything: sunglasses, wallets, you name it,” says Dreyfuss with a smile. His mission: to make women’s lives easier.
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
What Makes a Luxury Bag Functional Rather Than Just Visible?
Jérôme Dreyfuss’s bags are cool and simple, yet elegant and modern—very much in line with his grounded, approachable personality.
What makes those women’s bags special is not so much their appearance, but their functionality.
“Before I think about design, I ask myself two questions: What is the function of the bag, and what should fit inside?” - Jérôme Dreyfuss, luxury women’s bag designer
Dreyfuss compares his design process to that of an architect: only once practical aspects are resolved does he focus on aesthetics.
Why Some Designers Reject Logos and Choose Not to Be Seen
After just a few minutes of conversation, it becomes clear why Jérôme Dreyfuss himself is so rarely seen.
For him, designing fashion is not an act of self-promotion but a quiet, focused craft. He deliberately remains in the background—a mindset that was one of the reasons he chose to become a designer in the first place. It’s an attitude increasingly rare in today’s fashion world.
“Back then, nobody knew the faces behind the brands. Today, unfortunately, it’s different. More and more designers are staging themselves” – Jérôme Dreyfuss
For fifteen years, he even felt embarrassed when he saw a woman wearing one of his bags on the street. “You always notice something that isn’t perfect,” explains Dreyfuss. “It made me uncomfortable. I always thought the woman was too beautiful for the bag.”
He is also critical of logos. A bag is meant to be used and helpful, not to showcase a brand logo or name.
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
Who Actually Uses Luxury Bags Today?
His inspiration for new designs comes from women and Paris—more precisely, from women in Paris.
New ideas emerge, especially in the eastern part of his hometown. Although his office, studios, and company headquarters are in the trendy Marais district, Jérôme Dreyfuss is more drawn to the 11th, 10th, and 20th arrondissements. The bag designer usually gets around these neighbourhoods on foot or by bike, inspired by their cultural diversity.
“I don’t design for women who carry a pouch. If you have a pouch, you also have a driver” – Jérôme Dreyfuss
Dreyfuss designs for real women—women he encounters on the street, in cafés, or on the underground—women with everyday lives who actually use a bag.
What Changes When Two Designers Share a Creative Life
For Dreyfuss, living with an equally creative partner in the same field is not a challenge—quite the opposite. “It’s cool. No pressure. I’m just very proud of her.”
While their tastes are similar, their focus differs: he thinks in terms of structure and architecture, while Isabel Marant gravitates towards colours and materials.
Their distinct strengths and ideas complement each other—even in everyday life. When they built their house, he took care of the architecture, and she handled the interior design.
One anecdote Jérôme Dreyfuss shares illustrates just how closely their tastes align. Once, Isabel Marant called him from a gallery in New York, excited about a wonderful work of art—only to discover it had already been sold. “I was the buyer,” the Parisian designer says, laughing.
Are they each other’s biggest critics? Dreyfuss laughs and nods. “We’re hardcore. Super hardcore.”
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
What a Bag Reveals That Clothing Cannot
Although functionality is the primary focus, for Jérôme Dreyfuss, a bag is much more than just a practical item.
“Clothes are meant to be seen, whereas a bag reveals who you are on the inside. You carry your secrets in it, and only you know what’s within” – Jérôme Dreyfuss
That, he says, is what distinguishes bags from clothing. “With clothes, you consciously choose what you show to the outside world. What’s in your bag is different: it’s not just about appearance.” For Dreyfuss, bags are an add-on; their contents remain a secret.
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
When Did Luxury Stop Being About Time?
For Dreyfuss, luxury means one thing above all: time. Yet, he believes, time has been lost in the fashion industry. The reason, he says, is not artificial intelligence but the ever-growing pressure to produce: expectations that didn’t exist fifteen years ago.
Today, just delivering a summer and winter collection isn’t enough; additional pre-cruise collections and more products in stores are required to keep up. “There always has to be more,” he says.
Brands that produce on the scale of H&M or Zara are not luxury in his eyes, regardless of price point or brand name. What once made luxury special was its rarity, and that quality has become scarce. Too many brands focus on quantity over uniqueness.
Jérôme Dreyfuss hopes that the time and dedication true luxury fashion requires will return someday. Whether that hope is realistic, he admits, remains uncertain.
Elizabeth Irene Berger Waldenegg
Student, Paris