Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Berkeley vs. Speedy 35

I believe that most women in the world wish to own at least one luxury designer handbag during their lifetime. In my case, that bag is created by the legendary Louis Vuitton. Considering that the brand has been in operation since 1854, their craft has been perfected. Carried and collected by royalty and famous celebrities, these handbags are in a class of their own. Once on your arm or shoulder, you are sure to receive admiring glances or just plain rude and envious stares. The gossip on the topic of whether one of these handbags is authentic or imitation while at the nail salon is what intrigues me most. Who would think that an item that carries items could cause such controversy?

"She can't possibly afford that handbag. It can't be real right?"

The bag of my dreams is the Berkeley and with a price tag of $1,890, the quality better outlast my lifetime and continue to stay true to its form long after I hand it down to my daughter.

Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Berkeley

Although, often compared to the Speedy, I see little resemblance. When compared side by side one can see that the only resemblance they share is size, and that is comparable to the Speedy 35 from what I have read in reviews. Do they look alike to you?

The Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Speedy 35

The Berkeley has many details that justify the significant price difference between it and the Speedy 35, which retails for $870. On the exterior of this handbag, their are leather edgings around the perimeter that the Speedy does not have and also serve a wonderful purpose as two pockets on either end that can be used for a cellphone and keys as a YouTuber who posted a video about the bag demonstrated.

That is definitely a great asset when you are in a hurry and don't want to stand around digging through your bag for keys or missing that important phone call because you couldn't find your phone in time. On the front of the bag their is a beautiful brass "Louis Vuitton Inventeur" plaque that is centered between adjustable straps that can be set to wear by hand, on the arm, or on your shoulder, which makes it extremely versatile when compared to the Speedy, a handbag that is meant to only be worn by hand. If you are wanting an everyday errand and grocery shopping handbag, this will prove to be problematic. Another difference is the shape of the bag which looks like a pyramid on either end with shiny brass "feet" at the bottom to protect your canvas from dirt. As if a woman who just spent all that money, and is in fair mental health would ever lay this bag on the ground for a second. The Speedy has an arch shape on either end without feet which provides 0 protection from ground filth. There is also the matter of the zippers. As the speedy has one zipper that can be adhered by lock to the other end of the bag, the Berkeley has two zippers that meet in the middle or whichever way you wish it with no lock.

The interior of this bag is also contrasting when compared to the Speedy. To begin, the Berkeley interior is lined with rich red suede and has two pockets for a cell phone and miscellaneous items. The Speedy has one tiny pocket in the center of a huge void to be used for miscellaneous items and is lined with red canvas. One drawback of the Berkeley, compared to the Speedy is that it does not have a D ring, which is useful to attach a coin purse. The Speedy does. Furthermore, the bottoms of these two bags also share no resemblance, being that the Speedy has none and therefore allows more items to be placed in the bag, but gives it a "slouchy" look when filled, while the Berkeley has a set shape and therefore is constrictive of the amount of items you can place in it while sharing the same size.

Audrey Hepburn Photographed Sitting Beside Her Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy 25 

The Speedy is timeless, being worn by icons like Audrey Hepburn, but for me the Berkeley should never be compared to it. They have absolutely no similarities other than size and colors. In my opinion and for the money, the Berkeley wins hands down in the category of luxury that the brand represents.