How to shop pre-loved designer bags Clutched
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How to Shop Pre-loved Designer Bags

Tips and Tricks from a Fashion Editor

by Harriet Davey.

When I was at university, I told myself that when I got to the title of ‘fashion editor’, I would buy myself a Chanel bag to celebrate. And although this happened several years ago, I’m yet to buy said bag. Why? Because the price of an overage Chanel bag has more than doubled over the past ten years. With a new medium sized 2.55 now costing around £8,850. And with saving for a house, this isn’t something I could justify spending on one–gorgeous, may I add–handbag. Luckily, though, there are now so many pre-loved sites that make it so much easier to find handbags from the most esteemed brands at a lower cost. And considering most people would cherish such a much-loved possession as a Chanel, Hermes or Louis Vuitton bag, you can find styles that have been kept in brilliant condition.

 

Like any pre-loved purchase, though, there are ways to find the best ones. And there’s also steps sites have taken to help you avoid accidentally buying from the counterfeit industry. As someone who has bought some of my favourite bags from the likes of Vestiaire Collective and eBay, I wanted to share the destinations to buy second-hand designer handbags. Because as the saying goes ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure’, and while I would never describe any designer bag as ‘trash’, it fits in terms of loving something someone may not want anymore. Here’s my guide to the best places to buy pre-loved designer bags.

 

Vestiaire Collective

One of the most recognised resale sites is Vestiaire, and it’s home to some of the most amazing pre-loved high-end brands, along with the likes of Ganni, Staud and Neous. I bought my Loewe Gate bag from here, and can confirm it arrived exactly as it looked on-screen. Each item is reviewed online for free before being listed so it comes with a certain level of authentication, but to ensure you have peace of mind, you can pay a flat fee of £15 to have it physically checked before it gets delivered to you–something I highly recommend with higher priced item. My top tip? Make sure to add styles you love to your ‘favourites’ section, this way, Vestiaire will always show you similar pieces, and you’ll also be the first to know If what you love has an extra discount at the moment. This will also mean you can receive offers from sellers straight to your email. Psst, and it’s the go-to for vintage classics such as the Hermès Kelly or one-off Fendi baguettes.

 

Bottega-Veneta-Arco-Leather-Tote

Bottega Veneta Beige Leather Arco Handbag

 

Hermes-Kelly-32-handbag-black

Hermès Kelly 32 Handbag

eBay

Launched in 2022, eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee service extended into handbags sold over £500. All you have to do is select it as a filter (much like you would the style, colour etc.), and you can make sure that any bag you buy is checked by a team of professionals to make sure it’s real. I used this service to buy my Prada Cleo last year, and it works as I got refunded for the first style I bought after it was checked, and didn’t pass. I later bought another one and this was authenticated so I knew what I was buying was exactly what was listed. So many fellow fashion editors also use this service, and with being able to bid, you can end up snapping up a real bargain. It’s also the place to find styles that are brand new with tags, just like my Cleo. One of my tips is to also select bags that are only within your location, this way you won’t receive any hidden shipping costs once you’ve found your dream bag.

 

Loewe-Anagram-Bag-Small-tote

Loewe Anagram Small Tote

Christian-Dior-Medium-tote

Christian Dior Medium Tote

 

Sign of the Times

Buying or selling, Sign of the Times is the perfect place to find some of the best designer buys from a range of high-end brands. With detailed pictures of any marks, faults or wear and tear, you can guarantee that what you see is what you’ll get. And when you buy any pre-loved style, it also comes already authenticated (sometimes double authenticated for the likes of a Birkin) from the brand’s experts. If you live in London or planning a visit, you’ll no doubt want to visit the Chelsea store (aka a treasure trove of designer goodies) where you can see your future bag in real life.

 

Loewe-Light-Blue-Puzzle-Bag

Loewe Light Blue Puzzle Bag

Hermes-Red-2002-Birkin-35

Hermès 2002 Birkin 35 Red Handbag

 

The Handbag Clinic

Like a doctor, for handbags, The Handbag Clinic is the destination for bringing your most-worn styles back to life. Restoring any style going, you can rely on this site to collect your bag and deliver it back to you just as good as new thanks to its clever dyeing and mending services. With an authentication service from £34.95, you can also get your already-bought bags checked to make sure they’re the real deal–perfect if you’ve bought from a less reliable site such as Vinted. And considering they have a team of experts who are trained in this area, when it comes to the site’s resale section, they’re some of the most trusted in the business. So you can rest assured any style you shop–from the Jacquemus Chiquito to the iconic Mulberry Bayswater–will be pre-authenticated.

Mulberry-Zipped-Bayswater-Black-leather

Mulberry Zipped Bayswater

Louis-Vuitton-Keepall-45-Monogram

Louis Vuitton Keepall 45

Cocoon

While Cocoon is known for its rental service–you can borrow a different designer bag to wear each month–once each bag is at the end of its rental life, it then goes up for resale. This way, you can end up getting some of the best vintage and even recent season styles for a lot less than their original retail price. All bags are of course already authenticated while being out on rental, so you’ve got no need to worry about whether these are legit. With everything from the Gucci Horsebit and Marmont to the Bottega Veneta pouch in the resale section, no doubt you’ll find a style to add to your beloved bag collection.

 

Gucci-Horsebit-1955-Leather-Shoulder-Bag-Brown

Gucci 1955 Horsebit Shoulder Bag

 

Chanel-Cambon-Ligne-Bowler-Bag-Quilted-Leather

Chanel Camon Ligne Bowler Bag

 

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