Whilst fashion isn’t an obvious choice when it comes to investment opportunities a luxury handbag can be more lucrative and secure than you’d think..
Today, the handbag market attracts collectors, resellers, dealers and the ultra-wealthy but, when it comes to knowing what to ‘invest’ in can become something of a minefield, not all luxury handbags increase in value for those looking to invest in a luxury handbag collection here are a few rules to follow:
- Not all luxury handbags increase in value so if money is no object, stick to the trinity of luxury handbag brands: Hermes ( Birkin and Kelly ), Chanel (Chanel’s 2.55) and Louis Vuitton.
- Choose more classic or timeless styles. The demand for these handbags has already been well-established and won’t go anywhere but up!
- Choose high-demand colours, fluorescent, flamboyant and neon handbags are not to everyone’s liking so stick to neutral colours such as black, white, taupe, brown and traditional hardware like gold/silver/palladium.
- Last but not least if you’re shopping pre-owned designer handbags, be sure to shop at a reputable reseller with transparent policies and money-back authenticity guarantee.
Why Hermès & Chanel Bags Are a Safe Investment:
According to Baghunter, the first thing to understand is what makes these bags so expensive in the first place. Back in the 1950s, before Grace Kelly was pictured with the bag that would later bear her name, a new Kelly bag from Hermès would have cost under $1,000. In fact, at the turn of the century when a Birkin bag became the star of the show on Sex in the City, it was possible to purchase a Birkin for around $4,000.
Today, however, the most basic Kelly bag would set you back something in the region of $10,000 (10 times as much as it cost in the 1950s) and the same Birkin that featured on that Sex in the City episode retails close to the $12,000 mark (triple the value in only 15 years!). Of course, these are only entry level prices, before you add on exotic skins, custom hardware, and other personal touches which can bring the price upwards of $100,000.
The same can be said for Chanel handbags, Coco Chanel’s iconic bag design, which launched in 1955 for a mere $220, have been steadily rising over the last 25 years. In 1990 a Classic Medium Flap Chanel bag was retailing for $1,150, however, today that exact same bag cannot be found for under $4,900. This huge increase in value is also reflected on the secondary market, in particular for limited edition or special order Chanel bags. Why? Quality of course each bag is made using exceptionally high-quality materials and of course a Chanel handbag never goes out of style!
