Teddy Blake vs. Hermès: Which brand should you buy? [2026]

Teddy Blake offers stylish, Italian-made leather handbags inspired by luxury designs at an accessible price point, typically under $700. In stark contrast, Hermès represents the peak of traditional luxury, with handcrafted, investment-grade bags like the Birkin that start at over $10,000 and are notoriously difficult to acquire.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right handbag for your budget and style.

Teddy Blake: The Accessible Luxury Handbag Brand

Teddy Blake has carved out a niche by making the look and feel of high-end luxury attainable for a much broader audience. The brand focuses on classic, elegant handbag shapes made from genuine Italian leather, appealing to shoppers who desire sophisticated style and quality craftsmanship without the five-figure price tag. They primarily operate as an online, direct-to-consumer brand, which helps keep their prices competitive.

• Product mix: Their collection includes a wide range of designs, including top-handle totes, crossbody bags, bucket bags, and clutches that feel both timeless and modern.
• Price point: Most Teddy Blake bags fall within the $300 to $700 range. This positions them as a premium, but affordable, alternative to traditional designer brands.
• Quality: Bags are crafted in Italy from high-quality materials like full-grain and calfskin leather. While not at the artisanal level of Hermès, the construction and materials are excellent for the price.
• Sizing/Fit: A variety of sizes are available, from small mini-bags designed to hold just the essentials to large totes capable of being a daily workhorse.
• Sales: As an online retailer, Teddy Blake frequently runs promotions and sales, making their bags even more accessible.
• Return policy: They typically offer a 14-day return policy for items in unused condition.

Teddy Blake provides a great option for those who want a quality leather bag with a luxury aesthetic that can be used daily without the financial worry associated with an ultra-luxury piece.

Shop Teddy Blake: teddyblake.com

Hermès: The Pinnacle of Exclusivity & Craftsmanship

Hermès is a legendary French luxury house that sets the global standard for craftsmanship, heritage, and exclusivity. Founded in 1837, the brand is most famous for its iconic handbags like the Kelly and Birkin, which are not just accessories but status symbols and valuable assets that often appreciate over time. An Hermès bag is the result of years of tradition and countless hours of meticulous work by a single artisan.

• Product mix: Beyond their iconic handbags, Hermès produces a wide range of luxury goods, including silk scarves, jewelry, watches, ready-to-wear clothing, and home goods.
• Price point: Prices for handbags begin around $10,000 for entry-level styles and quickly climb, with Birkin and Kelly bags regularly selling for $20,000 to over $50,000.
• Quality & Materials: Unmatched. Hermès uses the world's finest leathers, such as Togo, Clemence, and Epsom, and each bag is handmade by a single artisan from start to finish, reflecting the absolute highest standard of quality.
• Sizing/Fit: Sizing is a critical part of a bag's identity (e.g., Birkin 25, Kelly 30). Each size is designed with perfect proportions for specific uses, from evening events to daily carry.
• Shopping Experience: Acquiring a popular Hermès bag is a unique challenge. It typically requires an established relationship with a sales associate, an extensive purchase history, and even then, receiving an "offer" for a bag is not guaranteed.
• Return policy: Standard items can be returned within 30 days, but policies around sought-after handbags purchased directly from a boutique are much more strict.

Hermès is for the serious luxury collector who values heritage, unparalleled craftsmanship, and the prestige of owning one of the world's most exclusive items.

Shop Hermès: hermes.com

Teddy Blake vs. Hermès Comparison

Price Comparison

There is no realistic price comparison between these two brands, they exist in different financial worlds. A Teddy Blake handbag can be purchased for a few hundred dollars. An entry-level Hermès bag without the extraordinary secondary market markup, such as an Evelyne, starts around $10,000.

The brands' costs reflect their value propositions. Teddy Blake offers great value for a fashionable, quality leather bag. An Hermès bag is an investment-level purchase, recognized globally as a status symbol with a value that can increase over time, outperforming many traditional assets.

Quality & Materials

Hermès's quality is legendary and beyond reproach. Each bag is hand-stitched by a master artisan trained for years to achieve the necessary skill. They use premier leathers sourced from the best tanneries in the world. This is heritage-level craftsmanship intended to last for generations.

Teddy Blake also uses high-quality materials, primarily genuine Italian leather, and their bags are well-constructed. The quality is excellent for its price segment and compares favorably with other mid-range premium brands. However, it's a factory-produced product and does not involve the same level of obsessive, single-artisan handcrafting as Hermès.

Product Selection & Style

The style of Hermès's bags is iconic and timeless. Designs like the Birkin and Kelly have been style mainstays for decades and resist fleeting trends. The aesthetic is one of understated, confident elegance that is instantly recognizable to those in the know.

Teddy Blake's designs are clearly inspired by these classic, high-end silhouettes. They offer a contemporary and chic aesthetic that allows shoppers to participate in luxury trends without the extreme cost. Their collections are broader and more trend-responsive, offering a wider variety of shapes and colors each season.

Shopping Experience

The shopping experiences couldn't be more different. Teddy Blake offers a straightforward and accessible e-commerce experience. You can visit their website, browse their collection, read reviews, and make a purchase in minutes, often with a discount code. The bag will be shipped directly to your home.

Buying a desirable bag from Hermès is famously difficult. You cannot simply walk in and buy a Birkin. The process involves building a customer profile, demonstrating loyalty to the brand across different product categories, and hopefully being offered a bag by a Client Advisor. This exclusivity is a core part of the brand’s appeal and prestige.

Which One Should You Choose?

The choice here hinges entirely on your budget, priorities, and what you want from a handbag.

Choose Teddy Blake if:

• You want the high-end look of a classic luxury bag for a price under $1,000.
• You need a durable, stylish, and professional handbag for everyday use.
• You value Italian leather and good construction but don't need a status symbol.
• You prefer a simple online shopping experience with regular sales and promotions.

Choose Hermès if:

• You are buying a handbag as a luxury asset and long-term investment.
• Exclusivity, heritage, and unparalleled craftsmanship are your absolute top priorities.
• Budget is not the primary factor in your decision.
• You are a connoisseur of high luxury and enjoy the prestige of owning an iconic piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Teddy Blake or Hermès cheaper?

Teddy Blake is exponentially cheaper. Most of their bags are priced between $300-$700, while the most basic Hermès bags start around $10,000 and go up dramatically from there.

Which has better quality?

Hermès has superior quality. Their bags are considered the global benchmark for handbag craftsmanship, each one handmade by a single artisan using superlative materials. Teddy Blake offers very good quality for its price point, using genuine Italian leather and solid construction, but it is not in the same handmade, artisanal category as Hermès.

Are Teddy Blake bags a knockoff of Hermès?

Teddy Blake bags are not knockoffs or replicas. They offer designs that are inspired by popular classic luxury silhouettes, a common practice in the fashion industry. They use their own branding and are a legitimate brand that focuses on accessible luxury.

Is a Hermès bag a good investment?

Yes. Iconic Hermès bags like the Birkin and Kelly are famous for holding - and often increasing - their value over time. They are considered by many to be a better investment than stocks or gold, though this depends on the model, leather, condition, and market demand.

Does Teddy Blake use real leather?

Yes, Teddy Blake states that its bags are crafted from high-quality, genuine Italian leather.

Why is Hermès so expensive?

The price of an Hermès bag is a result of several factors: the incredibly rare and high-quality materials, the countless hours of labor from a master artisan to craft a single bag, the brand's legendary heritage, extreme global demand, and a carefully managed strategy of artificial scarcity to maintain exclusivity and desirability.

Can you buy a Hermès Birkin or Kelly online?

You cannot purchase a Birkin or Kelly directly from the Hermès website. These bags are only offered to established clients in their physical boutiques. The only way to acquire one online is through trusted luxury resale sites, often at a significant premium over the boutique price.

Are Teddy Blake bags worth it?

For shoppers seeking a stylish, well-made leather handbag with a high-end look without the designer price tag, a Teddy Blake bag is widely considered to be a very good value.