The 12 best JW PEI bags, ranked by Luxury Shoes ’s fashion editor

JW PEI has 1083 bag colourways at Luxury Handbags and a handful of shapes that carry the brand. Luxury Shoes ’s fashion editor Gemma Deeks ranked the twelve worth buying, from the Gabbi that made the label to the animal bag that is its current calling card, with the dimensions and the price of each so the list is useful rather than a mood board.

Key facts

• 1083 JW PEI bag colourways at Luxury Shoes , $160 to $590, median $310, every one vegan and authenticated.
• Biggest lines by colourway at Luxury Shoes : Hana totes, Lucia top-handle bags, Rowan bucket bags, Ellie ring bags, Thea top-handle bags.
• The Gabbi ruched hobo is the design the brand is known for; the Hana tote is the one department stores stock most widely.
• Every bag page at Luxury Handbags lists the dimensions, the handle and strap drops and the largest phone the bag takes, in the brand’s own figures.
• The evening pieces are the crystal Abacus, the Thea in satin and crystal, the Holly clutch and the animal clutches.
• Ranking criteria: how well the shape holds, how many colourways it comes in, how it photographs, and what it costs.

The twelve best JW PEI bags

1. Gabbi Ruched Hobo Handbag in Black, $250

The bag that made the brand, a ruched hobo with a magnetic closure, 24.5 by 13 by 6 cm. Buy it in black first; it is the most photographed bag at this price on the market.

2. Hana Medium Tote Bag in Black, $310

The work bag: 43 by 25 by 13.5 cm, a 20 cm handle drop, a flat base and a 12.9-inch iPad inside. The most stocked JW PEI bag in the department stores.

3. Lucia Classic Top Handle Bag in Jet Black, $310

The classic handbag shape, a boxy body with a rolled handle, turn-lock and detachable crossbody strap. The bag to buy if you want a JW PEI that reads as a handbag.

4. Abacus Top Handle Bag in Black, $250

The architectural mini on a rigid handle, in vegan leather here and in crystal, sequin and faux fur for the evening. Long-term owners report it keeping its shape for years.

5. Joy Shoulder Bag in Black, $250

The nineties baguette, flat and structured with a short adjustable strap. Fits an iPhone 16 Pro Max, a card holder and a lipstick.

6. Rowan Ruched Drawstring Chain Bucket Bag in Black, $310

The bucket bag, gathered by a drawstring on a chain strap, and the travel bag of the range.

7. Arden Belt Detail East-West Shoulder Bag in Black, $310

The long-line east-west shoulder bag with a belt detail, 34.2 cm across, the quiet shape of the season.

8. Hana Large Tote Bag in Black, $440

The laptop tote, the medium’s big sibling, in the same smooth vegan leather with the same flat base.

9. Ellie Metal Ring Embellished Top Handle Bag in Black, $270

The jewellery bag: a small top-handle with a metal ring at the front and a long crossbody strap.

10. Thea Top Handle Bag in Black, $250

The softer, smaller top-handle, 25 by 14 by 6.5 cm, with a detachable strap; the crystal and satin editions are the evening version.

11. Holly Metal Pendant Embellished Clutch in Black, $280

The evening clutch with a metal pendant, 19.5 by 13 by 6.7 cm, sized for an iPhone 16 Pro Max and a lipstick.

12. Maelle Dachshund Charm Double Handle Bag in Black, $310

The gateway to the animal line: a proper double-handle bag with a dachshund charm, 24 by 11 by 9 cm, strap included.

How to choose between them

If you only buy one, buy the Gabbi in black; it is the brand in one object. If you need the bag to work for a living, the Hana medium; if it has to take a laptop, the Hana large. If you want a handbag rather than a bag, the Lucia. If the bag is for an evening, the Abacus, in crystal if the dress is plain. The Joy and the Arden are the two to add once the basics are covered, and the animal bags are for the person who already has everything else. Our price guide has the numbers by category, and the styling guide matches each bag to an outfit.

What the ranking does not include

The phone bags and the small canvas pieces, which are good value but not the reason to buy the brand; the backpacks, of which there are only a few; and the shoes and accessories, which Luxury Handbags does not carry. For the animal line in full, see the JW PEI animal bags; for the totes in every size, the tote guide; for the bags by colour, the black bags and the brown bags.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best JW PEI bag?

The Gabbi ruched hobo, the design the brand is known for and the most photographed bag at its price. For work the Hana tote; for evenings the Abacus.

Which JW PEI bag is most popular?

The Gabbi is the most famous and the Hana tote is the most widely stocked and the biggest line by colourway. Both are on this list.

Which JW PEI bag holds the most?

The Hana Large and the Kiana Large Capacity Tote take a laptop; the Hana Medium takes a 12.9-inch iPad.

Which JW PEI bag is best for evenings?

The Abacus, especially the crystal editions, then the Thea in satin and crystal, the Holly clutch and the heart-shaped Arlene.

Are JW PEI bags worth buying?

For a sculptural, logo-free bag in a colour at a contemporary price, yes; the 1083 colourways at Luxury Handbags run $160 to $590. They are vegan leather, not calf, so treat them as season bags rather than heirlooms.

Read next

The Gabbi in detail. The Hana tote sizes. The animal bags. Brands like JW PEI. Shop every JW PEI bag at Luxury Shoes .