Why Pre-Owned Luxury is the Perfect Purchase
In a world where walking into a Louis Vuitton on 5th Ave has become a fond but distant memory, I think many of us have been led to reassess our spending habits. Never much for practicality myself, I see some legitimate reasons that I donโt mind (and might even prefer) pre-owned luxury options. It is a solid investment after all.
1. New isnโt necessarily better โ especially lately
Supplies, distribution, and staff are all scarcer for luxury brands these days, which means some of the best quality items may be fewer and farther between. For the same reason quality may have suffered, the cost has, too. Nearly every luxury brand has raised its prices โ whether itโs by 2% or 15%, depends on the fashion house. Bottom line: pre-owned just keeps looking better and better.
2. Shopping is now mostly online these days anyway
Letโs be honest: a big part of what weโre paying for when we buy a new bag is the thrill of a luxury shopping experience โ which by and large doesnโt exist in the lockdown lifestyle weโve been rocking in recent memory. If youโre going to skip the store altogether, maybe skip the mark-up, too. (New year, new me).
3. Snag a model you werenโt ready to buy when it first came out
Easily one of my favorite reasons to buy pre-owned โ and I think itโs happened to all of us. Your wallet hasnโt quite caught up with your dreams, and you have to sit out a season or two of Chanel. When the time is right, you can go back and get the bag youโve been pining for, itโll be here waiting, right where you didnโt know you left it.
4. A lot of pre-owned items are basically new
While thereโs a range of ratings a pre-owned piece can have, many are in โlike newโ, โexcellentโ or even โgiftableโ condition, meaning there is minimal visible wear and tear and it may even come with the original tag. Keep in mind that itโs not uncommon for people to sell a bag thatโs been gifted to them in favor of purchasing one theyโd prefer. (Oh, that Gucci Rajah Maxi Tote is a bit much for you? No problem babe, I can take it off your hands).
5. Some items are literally new
Yes, literally! Pre-owned means just that โ someone else possessed it between the time that it was at the fashion house and at FASHIONPHILE. It doesnโt necessarily mean they used it, and in fact, that happens more often than you might think. (That or, maybe it attended one cocktail party? I think I can live with that). Check out our “new” New Arrivals.
6. Itโs an environmentally conscious thing to do
Giving an existing piece a new life, story, and home is a simple but legitimately beautiful way to support the planet โ especially if youโre into exotic skins. And you know what? If anyone wants to tell me that luxury shopping leads to good karma, well โ Iโm inclined to believe them.
