The Most Expensive Handbags Melania Trump Owns

There's a school of thought that if you celebrated your birthday everyday, then your actual birthday wouldn't feel special anymore. We have to wonder the same thing about handbags: If you own a dozen Hermès purses, do they feel special anymore? We'd have to ask the first lady, who has an impressive collection of Birkin bags from the French fashion house to complement the most expensive outfits Melania Trump has worn. But which is the priciest one she owns? We'll get into that in just a heel click.

Some have called Melania's bag choices tone-deaf, when one crocodile-skin statement piece costs the same as an annual salary for many Americans. It reeks of the old tale (which was likely not actually true) of Marie Antoinette being told that the French peasants were complaining because they were out of bread, and supposedly responding with, "Let them eat cake." Melania Trump's favorite shoe brands perfectly illustrate her expensive taste, and similarly, the FLOTUS shows no signs of abandoning her arm desserts.

Even if you need a history lesson on the Hermès Birkin bag, you probably know that they cost a pretty penny. Buyers also have to be invited to buy them, making it all the more impressive that Melania Trump owns multiple versions. Ironically, the company increased the price of the bags in America in 2025 due to her husband's tariffs. Experts at the South China Morning Post estimate that the black 30cm crocodile Birkin with gold hardware that she carried in July 2017 cost around $75,000.

Some fashionistas-in-the-know argue that the classic Chanel flap bag is the most coveted and in-demand bag in the world. That's up for debate, but clearly Melania Trump is a fan of the brand. In the summer of 2023, she carried a jumbo version of the Kelly Handbag in New York, paired with Chanel ballet flats. She also brought the lambskin handbag along to vote in the presidential primaries in the spring of '24. For context, a pre-owned Jumbo Kelly was listed on eBay for around $3,900 in 2026.

The white 35cm Birkin bag Melania Trump carried as she entered Trump Tower in New York in June 2024 resales for considerably less than her black crocodile version. The New York Post estimates that this one would go for around $33,000 if she ever wanted to sell it. She has been spotted carrying at least six different varieties of the bag, so obviously, she's on the fashion house's list of those invited to buy Birkins. Victoria Beckham, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez are also welcome.

In 2011, fashion house Celine debuted its Phantom bag as part of its Luggage collection, and it was capital-P Popular with the it-crowd of the era, including Kim Kardashian and Rihanna. In 2017, Melania Trump carried the classic bag as she returned to the White House from Camp David. According to Purse Blog, the Luggage Phantom Tote is worth around $3,400. Celine reintroduced pieces from the Luggage collection in 2025, but no word on whether the Phantom will return. Fashion followers are eagerly optimistic. 

Another day, another expensive Hermès Birkin bag for First Lady Melania Trump. In this instance, it's a 35cm Birkin bag in Trench Togo with gold hardware, which she carried as she crossed the White House lawn after returning home in the fall of 2017. The approximate cost for this bag when it's brand new is $20,000, per Fashion Magazine. She paired the tan top-handle tote with Saint Laurent sunglasses, a Calvin Klein top, J Brand jeans, and Christian Louboutin flats.

In July 2018, Melania Trump headed to New Jersey, carrying the Burberry belt bag. This handbag retailed for $3,650 (via Grazia), and was from designer Christopher Bailey's final collection with the brand, making it somewhat iconic. The bag featured a belt, a nod to the label's iconic trench, which could be removed and swapped with a different color belt. The first lady's handbag featured yellow handles, which she coordinated with her Manolo Blahnik heels. The white looked crisp with her button-up shirt and Rag & Bone slim-fit jeans.

Aside from the above-mentioned Birkin bags, Melania Trump also owns brown, burgundy, and navy, as well as a classic black piece she carried in Manhattan in 2023. The black bag alone is valued at $15,000 (via Fashion Magazine), and you might be thinking that you could buy a car for that. But unlike most cars, a Birkin doesn't lose value; a bag in good condition will almost always go for more than its original price. In fact, because it can double its value in five years, finance pros have called it a more lucrative investment than gold.