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Have you ever wondered which handbags are the smartest investment? There are thousands to choose from, from hundreds of different designers, so the designer handbag market can be a bit of a minefield. To make it a bit easier we have partnered with handbag expert and collector, Annieth Woollery and loveantiques.com to compile a list of the most investible handbags available to buy, along with what price they currently command in the market, and a few tips to follow when you decide to purchase a designer bag.

Like with most collectible items, handbags must be in mint condition to command a high price, including leather, hardware and liner condition. Scuffs on the leather or tears in the material can diminish the value of the bag by more than 70%!

Annieth Woollery advises to always see the handbag before buying it, even with online purchases, whether that’s through Skype or another video platform because photographs can be doctored and the condition is key.

What you should look out for when investing in handbags:

Like with many investable items Condition is key. No one will pay a pretty penny for a designer handbag that is marked or torn, because it immediately devalues the bag if so. Make sure you give the handbag a thorough once over, checking the stitching, the inside material, the leather condition and also be wary of patchwork jobs, some sellers will try and get away with repairing damaged bags themselves to pass them off as pristine condition.

Authenticity is another major factor to be considered before you purchase a collectible designer handbag, and with so many convincing knock offs about you need to know how to tell the difference. Here are a few tips to look out for:

  • With Chanel quilted bags, the ‘diamonds’ should always align.
  • For gold hardware the stamps on the inside should also be gold, the same applies for silver hardware bags.
  • Ensure that the “Made in France” or “Made in Italy” is properly aligned under CHANEL on the interior tag.
  • Authentic handbags should come with authenticity/guarantee cards or hologram stickers.
  • Regarding the interlocking C’s on all Chanel bags: The right C should always overlap the left C at the top and the left.
  • With Prada handbags the leg of the ‘R’ on the hardware is always curved and the Prada logo will be engraved on all hardware including buttons and zip tags.
  • With the printed logo on Louis Vuitton handbags, the L will always be on the bottom and the V always on top.
  • Louis Vuitton handbag stitches will always be mustard in colour.
  • Logos are the biggest indicator on whether a bag is real or not – check to see if the logos are straight, letters are evenly spaced and font matches with that of the brand logo. It would be handy to have a picture of the logo with you to double check.
  • Stitching on authentic designer handbags will also be neat, even and straight, never wonky or frayed.
  • Marc Jacob bags should also be accompanied by a dust bag – some sellers may have genuinely misplaced or lost their bags, in which case you can ask for a discount on the price.

Annieth Woollery added: – 

“The designer handbag market has constantly gone from strength to strength since they started to become really collectable 80 years ago. I’m not sure what makes handbags the most desired and coveted fashion accessory but to put it into perspective, Birkin bags have never experienced a devaluation, they’re actually a more sound investment than some stocks!

“There are many handbags that are great investments, it was quite hard to narrow just 15 down, but I believe the list represents a good variety of prices and they’re all bags that I believe will continue to go up in value. Some may be astonished by the high prices, but it’s important to understand that some of these bags are made in very small quantities, like the Cleopatra clutch where only one is made a year, and others contain very rare material like crocodile skin. Like with most things something is only worth what someone is willing to pay, but it appears someone is always willing to pay a pretty penny for a beautiful handbag.”

Will Thomas managing director at LoveAntiques.com said,

“Handbags are the most collectable and therefore investible fashion item. However, it can be a bit of a minefield when it comes to knowing which ones you should buy as an investment. What is clear is that you need to have a very keen eye for detail and really give these bags the once over before parting with any cash!

“There are so many designers creating beautiful bags but only some will increase in value over time. I hope this guide and list will help prospective investors choose which handbags they should be spending their money on.”

Avery Parker