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UPDATE 5/15/18: Fashion Drug no longer sells this handbag, but it is available on Aliexpress for $59.49. Click here to purchase.

Celine has been hailed as one of the hottest French luxury labels of modern day. Their handbags have been staples in every high-street fashion enthusiast’s wardrobe – from the phantom bag to the luggage tote, their simplistic and chic designs are timeless and never go out of trend.

Fashion Drug, one of my favorite brands offering designer-inspired items, has a bag that’s similar to Celine’s famed $2,650 Belt bag. And for only €89.95 (that’s roughly $101 USD!), you get a very close replica of this handbag in genuine Italian leather.

Fashion Drug’s online boutique features tons of genuine Italian leather bags similar to designer favorites like the Celine Luggage Tote, Givenchy’s Antigona, Chanel’s Boy Bag, and Valentino’s Lock Shoulder Bag. Even better, all their handbags are made from genuine Italian leather and suede!

I’ve teamed up with the Fashion Drug team to review their belt bag in black, one of their popular handbags inspired by Celine’s Belt bag.

New to the world of designer-inspired handbags? Check out my blog post on The Difference Between Legal Designer-Inspired Handbags and Fake Designer Goods to learn more about why I recommend designer-inspired handbags over the real deal.

Pros

• Price (€89.95, approximately $101 USD)
• Genuine Italian leather and suede
• Quality hardware
• Perfect stitching

Leather and stitching: Although there are designer-inspired luxury handbags everywhere at stores like Forever 21 and H&M, I remain picky about the quality of my bags. I feel that handbags are more a utility item more than fashion, so I prioritize quality before style. This handbag has well-structured, made of smooth Italian leather, and the stitching is perfect. The stitches alone show the quality of this bag.

Some of My Favorite Designer-Inspired Items:

• The Look For Less: Valentino Rockstuds – $995 vs. $115
• The Look For Less: 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Mini: $695 to $51.99
• The Look For Less: Balenciaga Ceinture Ankle Boot – $1,275 vs. $100
• Italic: Ending Retail Markup With Designer-Quality Products At-Cost
• The Look For Less: Chloe Small Nile Minaudiere – $1,450 vs. $59.97

Utility: There are several interior pockets and zippers in this bag, which makes it easy to stow away your smaller items. The shape of the bag also allows for larger-shaped items like cameras and make-up bags to be stored away without distorting the shape of the bag.

RELATED POST: The Look For Less: Gucci Dionysus – $1,350 vs. $86

This handbag also comes with an additional strap to hook onto the ends, which makes it perfect to convert into a shoulder bag.

Cons

• Does not ship from the USA

Because the United States tends to be much more strict about the gray area from designer-inspired items to blatant counterfeit items, it’s no surprise that many brands that sell designer-inspired items are usually stationed in other countries. This inconvenience usually results in extended shipping times and possible delays if the item lands and gets stuck in customs. However, despite the fact that Fashion Drug items ship from the Netherlands, I’m quite happy with the shipping speed – as soon as I received confirmation of shipment, the handbag was at my front door in exactly seven days. Pretty impressive for international shipping!

Although their products do not ship from the US, Fashion Drug has worldwide shipping so their products are available to everyone.

Celine: To buy or not to buy?

Although Celine has been widely recognized as one of the world’s most effortlessly chic luxury brands, their price tags may not be within reach for most consumers. I’ve weighed the pros and cons of investing in designer bags versus designer-inspired bags before, but Celine just may be one of those worthwhile investments. If you have the money, it is absolutely worth it for the longevity between fashion trends and quality.

However, handbags that are at an upwards of $3,000+ aren’t always practical investment choices for many middle-income consumers (you could be putting that towards your much-needed retirement fund). It’s only obvious that the safest and budget-friendly choice is Fashion Drug’s handbag. With onl $101 USD you can have your cake and eat it too!

Fashion Drug’s Gucci-inspired Tiger Bag is available for €89.95 (approximately $101 USD) exclusively on their website and is available in black and nude. Don’t forget to use code “Aileen10” for 10% off all Fashion Drug goodies!

UPDATE 5/15/18: Fashion Drug no longer sells this handbag, but it is available on Aliexpress for $59.49. Click here to purchase.

More Designer-Inspired:

• The Look For Less: Hermés Lindy – $5,900 vs. $47.74
• The Look For Less: Chloé’s Faye – $1,950 vs. $68.50
• The Look For Less: Chloe Small Nile Bracelet Bag – $1,550 vs. $40.43
• The Look For Less: JW Anderson Pierce Bag – $1,690 vs. $54
• The Look For Less: Chloe Small Nile Minaudiere – $1,450 vs. $59.97

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