Which 'vintage' bags are the best investment? Blogs Economic News

A 'vintage' bag can be a much better investment than the bag: the seller of a well-cared-for second-hand bag can get up to 63% of the original purchase value. The Louis Vuitton 'Neverfull' and the Hermes Birkin are the most stable 'investments'.

Is buying a luxury bag a good investment? A few weeks ago, a story was published about the price of a Hermès bag at an auction in Hong Kong. Birkins are the most desirable bags in the world and, according to a report, it turns out that investing in one is also sometimes better than investing in the stock market.

In the United States everything is studied, from the growth of the daisy in Ohio, to the most complicated questions. And of course, also the average value of second-hand bags. And it is studied not only because vintage clothing and accessory stores are more fashionable than ever, but also because of the incredible success that websites selling pre-used products are having. Not only eBay, Amazon or Facebook are usual intermediaries, other virtual companies like Bluefly are selling this type of products more than ever.

There are several reasons. The first has to do with the fact that 'we like' expensive things, as psychologist Ana Villarrubia explained. The second with a question of price and opportunity. The classics in bags, as in jewelry, are always in fashion, and second-hand the price is somewhat -or much- more affordable. And finally, the need to change bags. Compulsive buyers of bags and handbags -of which there are thousands-, especially among millennials, quickly get tired of the models and sell them a little cheaper to buy another seasonal one.

This gives us an idea of ​​who usually buys a Celine, Hermès or Chanel classic: women between 35 and 45 years old who always dreamed of that bag and who could not afford the price of a new bag. Here is a list of the most expensive, in case you are thinking of an investment. Ranked, the website specializing in this type of information, presented a report a few days ago based on the online site Tradesy, one of the most fashionable websites for buying vintage items.

According to the publication, "the bags with a more stable price at the time of resale are the Louis Vuitton Neverfull or the Hermès Birkin". Another one that does not lose value, even goes up if it is a limited edition like the previous ones, is Goyard. Something we already knew. For example, the Birkin can be worth up to 1.3 times the original purchase price if it is in good condition and is a limited edition model. A Goyard can exceed the original price by 1.3 times, while a vintage Chanel in good condition can sell for the original price.

In general, according to those responsible for Tradesy, the seller of a second-hand bag that is well cared for can get up to 63% of the value of the original purchase. If the new bag cost about $1,100, the resale price will be about $700. An exclusive Hermès Birkin has been sold on this site for $68,000. If you have a bag inherited from your mother or grandmother, the average time to sell it on this website is three weeks (if it is a super model, you can have it sold in a few hours). If it's an affordable luxury brand, like Marc Jacobs, it can take up to six weeks and the price will also get cheaper.

And then there are the cult brands, like MCM, which was particularly popular in Germany during the 1990s and is loved on the California coast. MCM, with its own store in the luxurious Plaza Hotel in New York, has the characteristic that all its models are numbered and there are really few of each design. Designs that, by the way, have been repeated for decades.

Pilar García de la Granja is director of The Luxonomist