The Dior Saddle & Hermès Kelly bag are the handbags to invest in for 2025

As the US stock market continues to fall into negative territory over the latest tariff changes, individuals around the world seek out more stable and secure alternatives for investing. From gold to arts and collectibles, some of the most sought-after investment pieces in the fashion industry have long included Rolex watches and the ever-iconic Hermès Birkin handbag. With the value of a Birkin bag said to double roughly every five years, some say it is even a more solid investment than gold. 

However, there is a new designer handbag that is said to have had the highest value growth over the past decade, according to a new study by the leather manufacturing company NYC Leather Jackets, knocking the acclaimed Birkin bag from its top position.

The Dior Saddle handbag was found to have the highest value growth over the last ten years, with an average resale price of 3,500 dollars for the initial model, which launched in 1999 at 1,100 dollars.

Investment fashion items for 2025: Rolex, Hermès, and Dior dominate value growth

NYC Leather Jackets ranked key fashion pieces that have appreciated most in value over the past decade. The analysis measured the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) at launch, average 2025 resale prices, ten-year Google search trends, and MSRP changes. These data points were then used to calculate growth in price, interest, and retail value, with each item receiving a composite score, with higher scores reflecting stronger appreciation and consumer demand over the last ten years.

Leading the ranking, the Dior Saddle Bag, also among the most recent releases among the top-ranked items, had a standout composite score of 99. Over the past decade, this bag saw a staggering 7,400 percent surge in online search interest, the highest of any fashion piece analyzed by NYC Leather Jackets. Unsurprisingly, designer handbags lead the pack in terms of value growth, with seven of the top ten spots in the report claimed by styles from iconic fashion houses Dior, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Fendi, and Gucci.

The Rolex Submariner ranked second with a composite score of 94. Originally priced at 150 dollars, its average resale value has soared to 15,120 dollars, a 9,980 percent increase, the highest price growth among all items analyzed. In third, the Hermès Kelly Bag had the highest appreciation in value over the past decade, with a composite score of 53. With an MSRP of 900 dollars, the original model now averages 37,548 dollars on the resale market, the highest 2025 resale price among all items studied.

Ranking fourth, the Omega Speedmaster watch earned a composite score of 33, with its original model rising 3,293 percent in value—third-highest overall, according to the ranking. It was also listed among the most searched fashion items in 2025, with a Google interest score of 84. The coveted Hermès Birkin Bag ranks fifth in value growth over the past decade. Initially priced at 2,000 dollars —the highest entry price among items studied—it now averages 13,300 dollars, making it the most expensive fashion piece on the list.

The Louis Vuitton Keepall handbag ranks sixth, showing the highest percentage value growth at 510 percent. Originally priced at 400 dollars, its resale value ten years later now stands at 2,440 dollars. It's also the longest-standing model among the top items.

Seventh is the Chanel 2.55 bag, which had the highest Google search interest a decade ago (a score of 65) and saw a 96.36 percent price increase—the third-highest in the study. The Fendi Baguette takes eighth place, with search interest jumping from 6 in 2015 to 97 in 2025—the second-largest increase after the Dior Saddle Bag.

Ranking ninth, the Cartier Love Bracelet rose from an original 250 dollars to 5,000 dollars, a 1,900 percent increase and one of the highest price gains among all items. Closing the top ten is the Gucci Jackie Bag. Its price rose by 61 percent over the last decade, with new versions selling for 3,800 dollars and original releases averaging a price of 1,845 dollars.

"Factors such as brand heritage, limited production, celebrity influence, and increasing demand for vintage and archival designs all contribute to the rising prices of these iconic items," said Zaid Shaikh, a spokesperson from NYC Leather Jackets, in a statement on the study. 

"Additionally, the surge in online search interest suggests that consumers are becoming more aware of luxury fashion as an investment, not just a style statement. As a result, classic accessories from these brands are not only retaining their status symbols but also proving to be valuable assets over time."