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Handbags

2,070 items

Explore NOVICA's Handbags Collection. Discover artisan designs, from handmade leather totes to beautifully embellished evening clutches. You will find unique styles in an array of traditional leathers, handwoven fabrics and contemporary recycled materials to bring a touch of global style to any outfit. There's a style for every season and reason.

Featured Reviews

Janice

Aug 22, 2022

This leather tote is now my go to bag

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It matches the photo exactly. The leather is supple, the stitching is perfect. I am very proud to carry such a beautiful bag anywhere. The inside lining is done with the same care as the outside. This item is constructed with the highest quality workmanship and materials. Thank you, Patsy Chang for your continued attention to artistry and detail.

Myrian

Apr 24, 2025

A golden mini treasure

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This mini handbag is charming. Exactly as pictured, the design is gorgeous, with flowing arabesque lines front, sides and back. The leather is stiff in the body but the flap moved easily. All seams are stitched solidly and consistently. I like that the hardware has an antique brass finish to it; it gives it lots of craft character. It is very well made. I will give it a light beeswax rub to intensify the color and preserve the leather.

This is my second purchase of this bag!

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The color is beautiful, the gold on the fabric makes this bag perfect for events a notch above casual if I want to bring a scarf or sweater when the temperature drops slightly. The first bag was given as a gift and 5 years later, my best friend told me she has washed hers several times and it still looks new! I had to buy one for me! I like that you can tie it in a knot on the shoulder strap to adjust the length to your desires! LOVE it!

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Handbags Through History

Prehistoric people used medicine bags, and Egyptian hieroglyphs show pouches carried around the waist. Drawstring coin bags were used by European men from the 12th to the 16th centuries, and the first written mention of handbags dates to the 1300s. In the 1500s, women began carrying bags of sachet. But pockets worn beneath the skirt remained more popular than purses until dresses began to hug the body in the late 18th century. During the Victorian period, a wide variety of purse styles came into vogue and the term "handbag" was coined in the early 1900s. By the first part of the 20th century, almost every woman carried a purse. Authentic handbags came into their own during the 1920s with all kinds of styles, colors and materials. From the 1930s to the 1960s, clutches were a favorite. Practical shoulder bags were introduced during World War II. Today hobos, totes and slings compete with classic leather handbags, mini briefcases and backpack bags. Among Novica's amazing array of styles and materials are sterling silver evening bags by Ploy Intha. Sending an ecological statement, totes of recycled materials make up Neide Ambrosio's soda pop-top collection and Evani Ribeiro's bags of distressed canvas.

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