Buying a second hand designer handbag without going bankrupt is not as tricky as it once was. Seriously. Been wondering how the fashion pack always rock fancy designer bags? It’s not, actually, because they have a lucrative side hustle on OnlyFans (although, no shade if you do).
Instead, savvy stylists, fashion editors and influencers head straight for one of the best second hand designer bag stores. And they’re all online, so you can add a little Chanel to your checkout without leaving your desk / sofa / seat on the bus…
Enter: our Fashion Director’s edit of approved sites to score your very own second hand designer bag (keeping you well away of fakes and scams).
The pull of a designer handbag is legendary, and if you fancy treating yourself there’s nothing better than a new-to-you bag. Resale sites are one of the fashion industry’s fastest growing categories and a second-hand bag is not only a brilliant way to save money, it’s a clever method for shopping sustainably too as there is nothing more sustainable than something already in existence.
Vintage bags are also proving to be smarter investments than stocks and shares. Bags are the accessory that appreciate fastest with preloved handbags rising in value by an average of 8% per year over the last decade. Some bags value now even outperform the price of gold! Ker-ching.
Despite those figures, preloved is still the easiest way you can get involved with designer brands at an amazing price. Although the most notable bags play on each brand’s style signatures, which can make them easy to fake. Fake bags have proven links to human trafficking, the arms trade and drug crime.
Carrying a fake designer bag is not ok. Most retail sites are super-hot on their authentication processes but if you’re buying from an individual, check the hardware, leather, stitching, authenticity cards and serial numbers (make sure they match) then ask the seller to provide more pictures, receipts and more detailed history to ensure you’re making an authentic purchase.
How to buy a second hand designer bag for less:
Charlotte Staerck, COE & Co-Founder, The Handbag Clinic shares her top tips for avoiding a fake. “There are some incredibly authentic looking fakes out there, but the devil is in the detail. As a general rule of thumb when buying from any online seller:
- Ask the year they bought their handbag and check the digits in the serial number corresponds to the production year. If it’s outside of that, it’s definitely a fake.
- The hardware colour should match the logo colour on the inside of the handbag
- Quilted Chanel handbags have 10 x stiches per inch. It can sometimes be ever so slightly outside of that, but never by much. So, if you count seven stitches, you know it’s not authentic.
- If in doubt – ask where they bought their handbag, if they say, ‘Harrods’ – check to see if Harrods ever stocked that brand or style.”
So, what are GLAMOUR’s favourite sites for browsing designer bags at bargain prices?
The most well-known store-front in the preloved market with thousands of new items listed every week. The longer items are on the site, the more you benefit from reductions. Creating a wishlist will track your favourites then try making an offer to the seller for a bigger reduction in price.
As well as curating the coolest independent boutiques around the world onto one site, FarFetch.com also have a pre-loved channel, where designer bags from major names are properly authenticated. Sellers get store credit and buyers save a bag from landfill.
With a handbag selling on eBay every 15 seconds, it’s no wonder the brand is putting a major focus on designer bag resale. eBay’s ‘Authenticity Guarantee’ ensures total confidence for every buyer purchasing bags over £500 from the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Prada and more. The platform works with carefully selected authenticators who undertake rigorous physical inspections while making use of specialist machinery to prove a bag’s provenance.
Any of the bags you buy here will be in pristine condition – they’ve all have had a glow-up at the in-house restoration clinic before going on sale. You could find bags with up to 83% off! Charlotte Staerck told GLAMOUR, “every bag goes through a thorough assessment and we offer authentication reports for all brands we stock – from full reports with finite detail and photographic evidence, to a signed certificate or simple evaluation as to whether the bag is real or a replica.”
Founded a decade ago, originally specialising in watches and jewellery, xupes.com have been selling bags since 2015 and date them all to the year of manufacture.
The go-to destination for mega-brands, Sellier sell cast-offs from the super-rich, stylists and select boutiques. Hermes is their most-desired label and pieces sell out fast. New stock gets posted on Instagram first so keep your eyes open…
Specialising in designer bags, this is the site to browse if you’re a bit of a bagaholic. In-season finds are listed with their current selling price point, if applicable, so you can see how much of a discount you could score.
Antonia Timpany owns the legendary Chelsea designer re-sale store. Her advice if you want to buy a pre-loved designer bag? “Ask what will hold its value? If you are thinking about long term investment, it is much better to shop the classics. For example think Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermes. These brands retain a very high resale price and act as a statement piece. Iconic bags such as the Chanel classic flap, Hermes’ Birkin and Kelly are ultimate investment pieces, particularly with the regular price increases at Chanel and difficulty to get hold of the Hermes pieces.” It also helps if you don’t buy pieces on sale, as they will also hold their price.
The products on HEWI’s site are an eclectic mix or rare designer gems from the wardrobes of the wealthy, famous and stylish. There is a physical space at Heathrow airport so you can browse the rails before your trip if you’re passing through…
As a bag rental service, Cocoon offer memberships so you can regularly swap designer bags and always been seen with the latest arm candy… but they also offer resale of some iconic styles which have been retired from the rental game. Members get even more discount on the prices.
For more from Glamour UK Fashion Director at large Alex Fullerton, follow her on Instagram @alexandrafullerton