Giving Luxury a Second Chance at Life

The thrill of a new handbag is one of the rare things in life, and although there are thousands of new bags available in stores across the world, it isn’t the only choice when shopping for handbags. Where designer and name-brand handbags are concerned, new can be fairly expensive. Therefore, many women are choosing to hunt for better prices for their favourite luxury items by shopping pieces from previous seasons. However, this is not the only way to get a good deal on a designer bag. There are many pre-owned designer bags currently on the market, and a lot of them are incredibly well looked after and in tip-top condition.

Although going the pre-loved route may seem simple, there are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for second-hand luxury. The first thing to consider is where you’ll get your bag from. There are so many counterfeit bags and fakes doing the rounds, that you want to be sure that the money you’re spending is for the real deal. The best place to obtain a pre-owned designer bag is a trusted reseller that has a reputation and experience in the business. The best bags to buy from these outlets should also come with the original purchase receipt, and preferably the original dust cover and box. This is one way of ensuring the authenticity of the piece you’re buying.

Another thing to remember is that pre-loved handbags are likely to have been in use at some point, and even though many of them will still be in good shape, there is likely to be some wear-and-tear. The most common areas on a handbag that suffer damage are the corners, handles, and hardware. Before you start shopping for a bag, decide on what level of obvious use is acceptable to you, and fully inspect the bag before committing to the purchase to make sure that you are happy with its condition. The good thing about luxury designer handbags is that they are incredibly well-made, which means that even when used, their hardware will still be optimally functional albeit a little faded, and their exterior may have stretched ever so slightly if it has been made from leather, but will nevertheless still look good. A bag that is too pristine for its age should always be thoroughly inspected as it may well be counterfeit. Then again, if it is noticeably damaged, it won’t have the luxury quality anymore, and won’t be worth the money.

If you’ve decided to start shopping for second-hand luxury designer bags, it may be worth noting that even though they may come in cheaper than the new ones, they may also remain close to their original retail price, or even exceed it, depending on the make and model. There are some rare colours from previous seasons in the Balenciaga range, for example, that remain expensive, as well as some of the more difficult to find models from Chanel and Céline. Of course, Hermès handbags tend to have long waiting lists and be exceptionally coveted items. It is wise to study up on the various makes, models, and designers, and decide what type of bag would be best suited to you and your budget.

Finally, it is important to know that even for some of the pre-owned designer luxury handbags, there are waiting lists. Some of the rarer colours, special order bags, or bags that were limited edition are all highly sought-after and may be on many a person’s wish list. This means that some resellers will place these items on waiting lists for customers. Therefore, if you don’t mind paying a higher price and have your heart set on a specific luxury item, it may be well worth the effort to get your name on a renowned reseller’s waiting list.

A luxury handbag is an elegant and timeless fashion accessory that, if properly cared for, can be given a new lease on life in the pre-owned market.

Rewind Vintage prides themselves on the pre-owned luxury designer handbags that they carry along with a magnitude of other vintage and luxury pieces. From their early days in 2010, they quickly established themselves as the unbiased vintage specialists in the UK. With over 15,000 items sold over the years, they have been featured and awarded in UK and International Media, and on TV, and have an unparalleled knowledge when it comes to pre-loved high-end fashion. Everything they do evolves around accessories, clothing, handbags and other pre-loved items. They value, source, buy, sell and customise a wide variety of items. For more information on Rewind Vintage and their pre-owned luxury range, please visit https://rewindvintage.co.uk/.