Dooney & Bourke is regarded as America’s top and most respectable brand of high-end handbags on the market today, and ideally, it is considered one of the very best brands.
They boast over 40 years’ experience in the industry, and they are now well-known for making the most durable and also the most dazzling handbags that would make anyone carrying the bags stand out.
But is the brand considered a luxury brand? Is it a good handbags’ brand? This article takes you through everything you need to know about Dooney & Bourke.
Brief introduction of Dooney and Bourke
Dooney & Bourke is a renowned handbag brand on the market. They boast over 40 years of experience, and they are behind some of the most durable and dazzling handbag designs.
Dooney & Bourke was founded in 1975 in Connecticut, Norwalk. This brand came to life thanks to Peter Dooney’s creative vision and Frederick Bourke’s entrepreneurial spirit. The designs of the handbags were richly inspired by America’s great history around leather goods such as saddlebags, mail pouches, and the best of the early military gear designs. These were all blended together to create the brand’s contemporary and classic styles. These design elements have also formed the elements of all the Dooney & Bourke Collections.
Notably, this brand was launched with the biggest motivation behind them being the fact that they thought they could make a difference in the profitable and highly regarded market for fine leather goods. And thanks to their steadfast commitment to ensuring the creation of luxury handbags that boast the best of timeless versatility, enduring style, and the best possible quality. These handbags are not only made of the finest quality raw materials but also time-honored techniques in leather craftsmanship.
But, this brand is not just a leather handbags brand; they deal in a wide range of fashion accessories, including luggage, watches, bracelets, briefcases, as well as a little-known, limited clothing line that offers jackets sweaters, scarves, and shoes. These products are not just made for women but also for men. The men’s range of products includes belts and shoes. These products were not all launched at once though, the classic suspenders and the surcingle belts were the first products they made, and it wasn’t until 1981 that they branched out and got started on the handbag business. This was marked by their release of the Equestrian Bag and Tack Cases made of bridle leather.
Soon, alongside the original purses, the introduction of handbags and the fact that top brands like Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Brooks Brothers started selling their products, and the subsequent opening of their first store, The Company Store in Norwalk all led to the success and growth of the brand.
In 1983, the company made its first big move when they developed the famous, all-weather leather or the AWL bag that was made of russet leather and a duck logo. They then came up with the Emma bag from 2006 to 2007. The next big thing that happened for the brand was NBC’s actress, Hayden Panettiere, designing Dooney & Bourke’s new bag.
They opened their first brick-and-mortar store on Manhattan’s famous Madison Avenue in 1990, where they kept their momentum, churning more of the classic styles for handbags, ranging from satchels and traditional totes to crossbody bags. The latter was quite appealing to the older set, and by 1995, their total sales had surpassed the $118million mark.
The company kept pushing the envelope despite the good numbers, and knowing that they needed to keep upgrading, they upped the tempo, offering the brightly colored handbags in burnt orange, fuchsia, lemon yellow, and peach. The added color variety brought in younger clientele, which meant that the brand was finally making the big expansion moves they intended to make.
The Grafica Collection was quite appealing to the younger D&B audience, especially thanks to the introduction of the bold colors and fun prints. Even with these changes, the traditional handbag styles for the handbags remain unchanged, which meant that even the older demographic still loved the bags.
They introduced apparel in 2001 and had some of the best quality and best-selling dresses, quilted jackets, sweaters, hats, and also winter accessories like scarves and gloves. This was followed by menswear, and by and in the 2010s, Dooney & Bourke was the powerhouse, all-American brand. The brand continues to reinvent itself, though, and now offers great variety for the new generations.
Today, the brand remains one of the most respectable luxury handbag brands, and you will be happy to know that the bags are relatively affordable for luxury brands. These bags will, however, cost more than ordinary bags. If you are looking for quality, then the extra cost is totally worth it.
Is Dooney and Bourke a good brand?
Booney & Bourke is a top brand for high-quality leather bags, and thanks to the use of great quality leather and the highest level of craftsmanship, this brand would be a good option for you if you want to get your hands on some great handbags without breaking the bank.
The handbags are elegantly designed, vibrant, and they also boast a unique and nice, compact design. Their range of handbags are considered the It bags, and there is a good range of options for you to choose from.
What’s Special About Dooney And Bourke Bags?
Dooney And Bourke make high-quality leather handbags that are not just lightweight and durable but also competitively priced and affordable. They also offer a good range of options, with their most expensive handbag options being the likes of Alabama Crossbody, Mississippi State Satchel, Virginia Tech Satchel, Clemson Crossbody, and the Texas Satchel.
The features of Dooney and Bourke products
- Signature Leather material
Dooney & Bourke makes a wide range of leather handbags that are all made of their signature British tan leather for the trims. Essentially, this is the one characteristic that identifies the Dooney & Bourke handbags, which also means that if the handbag’s trims look or feel cheap, they are probably knockouts.
- Stitching quality
One of the things that really stands out for the Dooney & Bourke handbags is the quality of the stitching. Generally, the stitches on the logo have to match with the color of the rest of your handbag’s seams, and these stitches all have to be even and well done.
- The hardware of the handbags
Dooney and Bourke prides itself in designing and manufacturing elegant handbags boasting the finest quality components. These include high-quality brass that make up pretty much all the metallic hardware, like the button fastenings and zippers. These are all rust-free and durable.
- Price range
With all that goes into these bags, it makes sense that the bags are not the cheapest ones on the market. They generally average $60 – $800, and anything cheaper with the Dooney & Bourke logo on them would be knock-offs.
- Handbag’s trim
Though it comes off as a rather minute detail, it is an important detail when it comes to the Dooney & Bourke handbags. The trims of their bags are made of the best British tan leather, and they all feel sturdy and well done.
- Guarantee Card and Serial Number
Although all the vintage bags by Dooney & Bourke will not have serial numbers on the labels, all their new bags do, and they also offer guarantees for all the new bags purchased. These include a 1-year guarantee (satisfaction), a serial number, as well a promise of authenticity. There also is a fabric tag on the interior of the bag, in the colors red, white, and blue, with the Dooney & Bourke tag incorporated. The best part is that you can confirm the authenticity of the handbag by checking the unique ID number for the bag on the brand’s website for confirmation.
Pros and cons of Dooney and Bourke products
Pros
- Authentic, high-quality handbags, accessories, and apparel
- Durable bags
- 1-Year satisfaction guaranteed
- Rich history associate with the brand
- Relatively affordable designer, luxury handbags
- Bags made of All-American Leather
- They offer repairs for their worn-out bags and even accessories
Cons
- Expensive
Is Dooney and Bourke a luxury brand? Why?
Yes, Dooney & Bourke is a luxury brand, thanks to the quality of their bags, their global reach, and presence, as well as the quality and the high price tag of their products. However, they are more of an affordable luxury brand for fashion.
Conclusion
Dooney & Bourke is renowned for its wide range of durable, dazzling, and high-quality handbags made of British All-American Leather handbags which are made specifically of British Tan.
They are competitively priced, and there are many styles and design options that match older and younger generations’ style needs.
Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.