Of course, any designer handbag purchase is a big one, and maybe you like the idea of rationalising the price by thinking about its eventual resale yield. Still, perhaps this shouldn’t be your priority, says Ceanne Fernandes-Wong, the CEO and co-founder of Cocoon, the UK’s first membership subscription service for luxury bags. “Buy a bag you love. If you’re lusting after a vintage Chanel Diana, don’t buy a Caviar Flap bag just because you think it will have a better resale value. Chances are if you’re truly lusting after a bag, you will want to keep it for years to come.” Wise words. And she has some more inspired suggestions on how to go about finding the perfect investment bag for yourself.
“As purchasing a handbag is a significant investment, it’s a smart idea to ‘test-drive’ bags via a service like Cocoon so that you can make a truly informed decision,” says Fernandes-Wong. “You will get a real sense for whether a particular brand is worth the investment or if a style is right for your needs. Finding out a bag is too heavy, you don’t like the quality or it doesn’t fit is a costly realisation to make post-purchase. You can also get a sense of how a bag will wear over time, especially if it’s vintage or an older style, and that may influence your decision, too, as new doesn’t always equal best.”
