Kurt Geiger Review

Anyone who knows me knows that I love color. My personal motto is “All the color, all the time.” Whether it’s clothing or home decor, I live by a more is more mindset. The reason? It makes me happy. And I’m not the only one! Nowadays, the concept of dopamine dressing (ie: wearing a bunch of bright colors) is on the rise, with over 217 million views on the topic on TikTok.

Thanks to the app, it’s become increasingly easy to uncover under-the-radar brands that specialize in vivid colors and prints. In fact, it was while scrolling that I rediscovered Kurt Geiger, an accessories brand that is renowned for its rainbow collection. To see how the products fare in real life, I tested out the Leather Kensington ($295), the Small Kensington Belt Bag ($225), the Crochet Multi Crossbody ($165), the Orson Crystal Sandal ($185), the Kensington Sneaker ($195), the Meena Eagle Sandal ($99), and the Kensington Mini Purse ($75). Keep reading to see if the premium footwear and handbag brand is worth the hype.

What is Kurt Geiger

Kurt Geiger is a luxury British footwear and accessories brand that was founded on the concepts of creativity and kindness. “No matter where you are in the world, we want to embolden our customers to be true to themselves and confident, the London way,” the brand’s site states.

While many of the brand’s products feature notes of kindness on the labels—“Design is what we do. Kindness is what we are,” for example—the brand is about so much more than heart-warming marketing. Enter: The Kurt Geiger Kindness Foundation. One dollar of every product purchased is donated to the foundation, which is dedicated to supporting young people of all backgrounds with hopes of entering the creative industry. As of 2023, the brand has raised $619,702 for the cause, reached nearly 300,000 young people, and provided 50+ mentoring and work-placement opportunities.

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What I like about the Kurt Geiger

The signature rainbow design

When I first spotted Kurt Geiger during a long-ago trip to Bloomingdale’s, I was immediately drawn to what I now know to be the Kurt Geiger London Leather Kensington—the metallic colors and seemingly high quality made me double-take, as I’d not seen any other high-end brands feature the rainbow in such a way.

As it turns out, the rainbow is a Kurt Geiger statement—not something featured in just one product for one month out of the year (hello, Pride!). “We like to make unique style statements and for over fifty years our team of in-house shoe and accessory designers have been creating authentic, distinctive designs built to empower and embolden our community,” the brand states on the site. “The rainbow is our signature. It represents the good energy and love we have for our community and the many ways we collectively express our individual style.”

As the signature statement of the brand, rainbow colorways can be found across handbags, wallets, and shoes.

The quality is outstanding

Colors aside, I’m impressed by the quality of the materials that Kurt Geiger sells. The leather smells premium and feels luxe to the touch, and the metallic finish feels sturdy and made to last. I didn’t experience any color transfer firsthand while I tested the Small Kensington Belt Bag (which was impressive considering I have other metallic purses and belt bags in which the finish rubbed off within a year).

When it comes to their non-leather offerings, I found the weave of the Crochet Multi Crossbody to be tight and free of any loose threads or snags.

What I don’t like about Kurt Geiger

The sizing is inconsistent

While I found the Orson Crystal Sandal to fit true to size, the Meena Eagle Sandal and Kensington Sneaker ran small. After some scouring, I found that, according to shoppers, most of the brand’s shoes run small, and sizing up is suggested.

My sizing complaint also extends to the bags. Given the price point, I guess I expected the Kensington Handbag to be larger—in reality, it’s just over 10 inches long. Similarly, the Small Kensington Belt Bag is just 9 inches long. Considering both are over $200, this surprised me—but given the quality of the materials and beautiful quality of the bags, it’s not a deal breaker. Rather, I think it’s important to read the specs before making a purchase.

The aesthetics of the hardware isn’t my taste

Look, I understand that Kurt Geiger’s brand mascot is an eagle. While I love the intention—to symbolize “strength, courage, and endurance”—I’m not the biggest fan of the sharp-beaked logo, particularly in the gunmetal iteration. Similarly, I wish the majority of the chain straps by the brand were any other color or finish, as the antiqued silver feels too gritty for my personal liking. Because of this, I was thrilled to see that the brand recently released the Kurt Geiger London Mini Kensington Long Flap ($275), which features a pink and gold chain, along with a gold eagle, giving it a less industrial, more chic flair—and I have to say, I’m this close to adding it to my cart.

Is Kurt Geiger worth it?

Without a doubt, yes!

Kurt Geiger is a brand that prioritizes producing beauty in the world, both in the form of fashion and kindness. The quality and appearance of the brand’s handbags, wallets, and footwear is applaudable and leaves me wishing for more. Luckily for me (and other dopamine dressing-lovers), they regularly release new one-off items and collections.

In fact, to close out summer, the brand brings even more joy to shoppers with the launch of homewares, including the Kurt Geiger London Tray, which I’d happily display on my coffee table to dresser, the Kurt Geiger London Photo Frame, which is the perfect maximalist picture display, the Kurt Geiger Pen Holder, and the Kurt Geiger London Coaster Sets, which I immediately added to my Christmas list.

Shop Kurt Geiger at Bloomingdales