Welcome to our list of The Most Popular Designer Bags on the Resale Market!
The resale market is an amazing source of designer handbags! Not only you can find amazing vintage bags but also some unique pieces you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Some bags are met with such high demand that they sell for multiple times their original value! Here I’ll show you 10 bags that are extremely popular on the resale market, some are timeless classics, others are vintage bags that are super trendy now.
So, without further ado here are The Most Popular Designer Bags on the Resale Market:
1. Hermès Kelly
Émile-Maurice Hermès was the creative mind behind the first Hermès accessories. After the invention of the automobile, Émile-Maurice diversified the Hermès offerings with an array of products that reflected the changing times. Among his many contributions was the ‘Sac à dépêches’, which was produced in 1935 for his wife to carry. The bag would go on to achieve worldwide recognition 20 years later, when in 1956 Princess Grace Kelly used her ‘Sac à dépêches’ to shield her baby bump from the paparazzi. In an early instance of what might today be described as ‘viral marketing’, Hermès received so many requests for ‘The Kelly Bag’, as it became immediately known, that it was renamed in honor of the princess.
Today an icon of elegance and sophistication, the Kelly is one of the most sought-after bags on the resale market, selling for multiple times its original value. The price of a Kelly bag when you buy from an Hermès store varies from $9,000 to around $12,000. On the secondary market you can find Kelly bags starting from $15,000 until upwards of $40,000.
2. Chanel 11.12
The Chanel handbag that would ultimately become synonymous with the brand was not created until 1983. The Chanel Classic Double Flap was first introduced when Karl Lagerfeld became creative director and decided to reinterpret Chanel’s iconic 2.55 Flap Bag. From his artistic vision came two new features – a leather woven chain and Double C turn-lock closure. Lagerfeld’s Classic Double Flap was a breakout success.
In spring 2021, the Chanel Classic Flap was renamed to the 11.12, in honor of the original Medium Classic Flap’s style code – A01112. The universal wearability and simplicity of the Chanel Classic Double Flap solidifies this handbag as an iconic statement piece. Almost forty years later, and out of all the Chanel handbags on the market, the Classic Double Flap remains one of the most sought-after pieces ever crafted. Lately Chanel has been increasing its prices and making more difficult for customers to buy their classic styles, so the resale market has been the best option for many Chanel lovers.
According to Rebag in 2021 the retention value of the classic double flap was of 95%, but I’m betting this year we’ll see this value increase.
3. Hermès Birkin
The Birkin bag is perhaps the most famous bag in the world, and for sure one of the most classic. The Birkin was designed in 1983 when Hermès creative director Jean-Louis Dumas set next to the actress Jane Birkin on a flight. She was wearing a straw tote and explained that most leather bags were too structured for her taste. So Dumas designed the bag on that flight on the back of a napkin. Today the Birkin is an icon and is the kind of bag that will last you your whole life.
The price of a Birkin when buying directly from an Hermès store varies depending on size, leather, hardware and color, but it is usually somewhere between $9,000 and $12,000.
4. Louis Vuitton Neverfull
Introduced in 2007 and thought to be created to compete with Goyard’s St. Louis Tote, the Neverfull was designed to be completely reversible with its contrasting interior. While it’s not widely publicized, the GM size of the Neverfull is able to hold up to 200 pounds of weight despite the appearance of its delicate handles. This bag is an amazing companion to take to the beach, to the airport or even to work. In 2013, Louis Vuitton updated their signature tote to include a detachable accessories pouch, and they began introducing additional interior lining colors with an updated print, and a full leather version. When Louis Vuitton launched the OnTheGo tote it appeared that the Neverfull would be left behind, but so far, the Neverfull has truly proven to be a mainstay of the house.
According to Rebag, the Neverfull is one of the most sought-after models in the luxury resale market. With 118% retention value this is an amazing investment bag!
5. Lady Dior
The most classic of all Dior bags the Lady Dior is an icon. In 1995, Dior created what would become the most important bag of the maison, it was designed especially for Lady Diana and gifted to her while she was in a visit to Paris. Shortly after, the Princess was photographed several times with the bag on her arm. Described as “iconic” and “legendary”, Dior launched the bag in a larger series and changed the name to the “Lady Dior” in 1996 with Princess Diana’s blessing. Over the decades, the Lady Dior bag has been established as an enduring icon of the House. It’s most notably distinguished by its structured shape, geometric Cannage topstitching and ‘D.I.O.R.’ charm.
The Lady Dior is perfect for every occasion, it goes from day to evening seamlessly! And it is also one of the most searched styles on Rebag!
6. Fendi Baguette
In 1997 when Prada minimalist bags were all people wanted, Fendi launched the first It Bag in history, the Fendi Baguette. Designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, she christened the bag the Baguette because this shoulder bag was made to sit comfortably under the arm in the very same way that the French are usually seen carrying their baguettes. Since its introduction, the Baguette instantly became one of the most sought-after bags in the fashion world, and more than 100,000 of these babies were sold in the first year alone.
In 2019 the world saw the return of this iconic ‘it bag’ when the Fashion house enlisted Sarah Jessica Parker and German influencer Caroline Daur in a new social media campaign. Over time it has evolved into different sizes, materials and colors, each new season there is a new Fendi Baguette for us to fall in love with! Today, 25 years after its debut, the Fendi Baguette, remains a stylish it bag that is iconic of the brand.
According to Rebag the Fendi Baguette is one of the 3 most searched bag styles on their platform!
7. Louis Vuitton Eva
A very popular style in the 2000’s the Eva was discontinued in 2014, and now it is in high demand once more! The Louis Vuitton Eva is a three-in-one design that allows wearers to carry it as a shoulder bag, crossbody or clutch depending on the occasion. This bag is effortless and stylish, with its baguette silhouette I can see its Y2K appeal. The fact that you can only find this bag on the resale market in very low quantities is driving its price up constantly.
The average retention value of the Eva bag according to Rebag is 167%!
8. Balenciaga Motorcycle City Bag
The Balenciaga Motorcycle City bag was originally designed in 2001 by Nicolas Ghesquiere and has since seen many iterations, the most recent is the Neo Classic. That bag has a number of names: the “Lariat,” which is how Ghesquière referred to, the “Motorcycle,” the “City,” and a recent iteration called the “Neo Classic” that debuted for Fall/Winter 2020 during current creative director Demna Gvasalia’s tenure at the house. A little over two decades and two creative directors later, the City has proved itself to be a mainstay at the house.
Although the City had its heyday in the 2000’s it never really disappeared, you could see a celebrity being photographed with one in hand from time to time. But now this bag is definitely in once more. Currently, the Neo Classic retains 79% of its retail value, but according to that number is sure to rise with its recent popularity growth.
When asked why the bag was so popular Nicolas Ghesquière said: “No logo. Very light. Very effective. There is something familiar with the vintage side. Women and girls thought it was something they’d always have. You could be a Balenciaga girl with that bag.”
9. Goyard Plumet
Designed with compartments for change, notes and cards, the Plumet pocket wallet can also be worn across the chest like a little bag with its removable strap. Its 3 separate pockets mean it can elegantly adapt to its contents. The Plumet pocket wallet is inspired by the pocket in the Saint Louis bag. It is called Plumet after the workers in Paris’s ports who drove the rafts to where they were disconnected, on the banks of the River Seine.
The Plumet can be difficult to find in stores, causing resale prices to rise, on average it holds 111% of the retail price. Like many of Goyard’s other bags, black is incredibly popular, but the green and blue colorways sell for up to 114% of their original retail price according to the RealReal.
10. Louis Vuitton Pochette Accessoires
The Louis Vuitton Pochette was originally designed to be an accessory to the Louis Vuitton Bucket bag, but when it launched, it became so popular that it transformed into a handbag of its own. This bag’s heyday was the 2000’s, I’m sure you remember many celebrities trotting around with this bag on their arms. This bag is small but effective, it fits your keys, cellphone and cards. In recent years this bag has been growing once more in popularity due to y2k trends and in the vintage market this bag’s price is going up constantly.
It is not easy finding one of these bags on a Louis Vuitton store, so the resale market has been the primary source of the Pochette, that is why its prices are so high. The Louis Vuitton Pochette has an average retention value of 143%!
