Saturday, December 14, 2024

The Best Secondhand Luxury Handbags to Invest in This Year, According to Experts

Must read

What’s more glamorous than corporate stocks, easier to maintain than a sports car and less volatile than NFTS? A well-chosen luxury handbag. And it’s still a good investment. 

“Designer handbags have become a true asset class, especially those classic styles from brands that hold or increase in value over time,” says Danielle Gumina, content editor at Fashionphile. “The average value for the Chanel Double Flap increased by 50% between 2020 to 2022, while the Hermès Birkin 30 increased by 41% within the past two years.”

The secondhand market has become a prime destination for shoppers looking for in-season bags and old styles alike, often at a discount. Even if bought used, these accessories still offer a return on investment. And more shoppers are buying bags to store and trade them, rather than just tote. 

“More customers are shopping with resale value in mind from the get-go, which is one of the main shifts we’ve seen with the further adoption and ubiquity of resale,” Noelle Sciacca, senior fashion lead at The RealReal, says. “They can recoup [a percentage] of their original purchase if they so choose to re-sell, which can help justify the splurge.” 

Classic heritage brands will always remain hotly sought-after investment commodities, she adds: “Resale prices for Hermès, Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton are still up 17% from where they were in 2019, signaling these bags are still strong investment.” 

So, which bags are worth the money in 2023? We canvassed the world’s best secondhand bag dealers, asking for their insight. Here’s what they had to say.

The best luxury handbags to invest in secondhand

Lady Dior

Sciacca of TheRealReal calls out Louis Vuitton’s Cité bag, which has been growing in popularity since its resurgence on the Fall 2022 runway, as a stand-out. She also cites the popularity of tiny business style totes, such as the Saint Laurent‘s Nano Sac de Jour, Chanel’s vintage totes and Dior‘s mini Lady Bags.

There also seems to be a big appetite for bags on the other end of the size spectrum: Tirath Kamdar, general manager of luxury at eBay, suggests keeping our eyes peeled for the Saint Laurent Icare, for which searches on the site surged by 215% in the second half of 2022. 

The trend toward re-editions means everything old is new again — especially when it comes to handbags. With the Y2K revival stronger than ever, Gumina notes the artist collaborations of the early aughts (think Takashi Murakami X Louis Vuitton) and recent projects like Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama make revisiting these  launches a safe bet. The Vernis Kusama Infinity Dots Papillon 30 Red bag and the Fendi Sequin Pailettes Baguette (a “Sex and the City” staple) both hold a lot of investment potential, she says.

And while the new year will inevitably usher in new trends, the brands that made a big splash in 2022 still have some power. 

Scroll to Continue

Kamdar confirms that, “from just the first few weeks of 2023, searches show that the Dior Saddle Bag, Fendi Baguette, Hermès Kelly and Louis Vuitton Speedy are already some of the most-searched for styles.” 

Vestiaire Collective highlights a handful of styles from last year that are still safe investments, namely: Louis Vuitton’s Speedy, Neverfull and PochettePrada‘s Tessuto; Gucci’s Jackie Vintage and GG Marmont; and the Lady Dior

There are also exciting newcomers earning their spot on the It-bag fashion map. Tirath calls out Telfar as a prime example of a newer name offering an impressive return of investment: In the past year alone, searches for Telfar on eBay were more than 11,000 times a week. Telfar’s Circle bag in particular spiked by over 3700%. 

Meanwhile, Sciacca from TheRealReal shouts out Luar, which is proving to be bankable on the secondary market. 

When to Buy

telfar investment bag

As with most things, investment is all about timing. During the pandemic, most secondhand platforms saw prices skyrocket for ultra-luxe brands such as Hermès, Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Without the option to go on vacation or dine out, many with disposable income redirected their assets to handbags. But according to Gumina, those prices are finally softening.

“The average resale value fell 14% for Chanel bags in 2022, 12% for Louis Vuitton bags and 24% for Hermès bags,” she says. “But these brands continue to be top sellers at Fashionphile.”

Among many categories, luxury bags are being singled out for its risk-reward proposition. 

“Amid economic uncertainty, we’re seeing luxury accessories are increasingly being considered an investment. We have found that nearly 1/2 of surveyed luxury shoppers keep an eye on the current value of their luxury accessories, and 80% of surveyed luxury shoppers consider the value of their luxury accessories the same or less volatile than their other assets,” says Kamdar.

In other words, if you’re considering investing in a handbag, now’s your time to snag one — before it sells out. Scroll below for some of the best ones to bid on now. 

saint laurent

Saint Laurent Icare, $930 (current bid), available here

dior saddle

Christian Dior Tan Leather Saddle Bag, $790 (current bid), available here

hermes kelly

Hermes Kelly 32 Handbag Box Calf Leather Cadena, $3380, available here

telfar circle bag

Telfar Round Circle Bag Black, $1000 (current bid), available here

fashionphile kusama

Louis Vuitton Vernis Kusama Infinity Dots Papillon 30 Red, $1495, available here

fendi baguette

Fendi Nappa FF 1974 Embossed Baguette Mimosa, $2350, available here

lady dior

Christian Dior Lambskin Cannage Medium Lady Dior Navy, $2295, available here

louis vuitton speedy

Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolor Mini Sac HL Speedy White, $1450, available here

chanel double flap

Chanel Caviar Quilted Medium Double Flap Black, $5420, available here

birkin red

Hermes Togo Birkin 30 Feu, $14,495, available here

lv cite

Louis Vuitton Monogram Cite GM, $833, available here

lv monogram cite

Louis Vuitton Monogram Multipli-Cité, $786, available here

gucci horsebit

Gucci Horsebit Glam Hobo, $376, available here

saint laurent nano sac

Saint Laurent Nano Sac de Jour Tote, $1295, available here

chanel vintage tote

Chanel Caviar Shopping In Chains Tote, $2300, available here

dior mini

Christian Diori Mini Diorissimo Lady Dior, $1,925.00, available here

prada tessuto

Prada Tessuto Silk Handbag, $380, available here

gucci gg marmont

Gucci GG Marmont Velvet Crossbody Bag, $640, available here

gucci jackie vintage

Gucci Jackie Vintage Handbag, $494, available here

lv pochette

Louis Vuitton Pochette Accessoire Leather Handbag, $755, available here

luar

Opening Ceremony x Luar Ponyhair Handle Bag, $186, available here

Never miss the latest fashion industry news. Sign up for the Fashionista daily newsletter.

More articles

Latest article