There's a reason designer handbags like Louis Vuittons are so popular. Walking around with one of your own can make you feel totally luxurious (and is bound to get you lots of compliments).

Have you always thought of owning a designer bag but think the prices are a little too high? Zulily has got you covered!

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shelley Alvarado, a senior account executive and former Louis Vuitton employee from Los Angeles. It's been edited for length and clarity.

Long before designer collaborations were the norm, Louis Vuitton’s then-creative director Marc Jacobs teamed up with Takashi Murakami to debut a line of handbags that would go down in fashion ...