Guide to Buy the Best Vintage Bag
It's never a bad idea to go for second-hand luxury products, especially when you are on a budget. But there’s one concern, many replicas have flooded the market and it becomes very hard not to get deceived. So, it ultimately becomes important to make the right selection of marketplace before investing in the bag of your dreams.
Here we will discuss how you can avoid yourself from such circumstances and get your hands on the vintage luxury bag.
Where to Buy the Vintage Bag?
If you are buying vintage bag online like Chanel or Louis Vuitton, you should do your homework and know what you’re buying as you can be easily deceived with all the counterfeit product floating around the market. Here’s a way to purchase online without being taken advantage of.
Always Buy from a Verified Source
Farfetch - A luxury and reputable vintage retailer with a great collection of Chanel and Vintage Louis Vuitton.
Vestiaire - It is a collection of hundreds of new and vintage luxury items. The quality and authenticity are ensured.
Galleries - They have a collection of premier brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and much more. They offer a wide selection of vintage bags.
Ask the Right Questions
Try to find everything about the bag you are interested in buying, pay close attention to the product description. Always ask for more close-up pictures and detailed videos as sometimes photo from afar is hard to determine the condition.
Ask About the Condition of the Bag
Don’t hesitate to ask about the bag’s condition, whether there are any flaws, or the wear and tear of the item. Additional photos especially on the heavily worn part like the strap or corners will also be recommended. It is always better safe than sorry when it comes to purchasing online especially for pre-loved item so don’t feel embarrass about asking too much questions.
Ask About the Age of the Bag
The age will greatly determine the condition of the bag. For instance, a Chanel Classic bag that is ten years old will not have the same feel and look.
Authenticate the Bag
As discussed, buying vintage bags can be risky as the market is full of counterfeit products. So always ask for authentication of the product.
Authentication of Chanel Classic Bag
Chanel classic bag bags come in different variations of leather, the most popular one being lambskin that is soft to the touch and caviar leather has the perfect texture and is better at hiding scratches. For stitching, check for the pattern of stitching, it must be straight. If it is not lined up, then chances are you are looking at a fake handbag.
Check the logo of Chanel; the CC stitching and lock have a distinct pattern, the right C should overlap the left C, and the left C should overlap the right C at the bottom.
One thing to note is that all Chanel bags come with authenticity cards and have hologram stickers with matching numbers. Each product has its serial number.
Note: Fake bags also come with authenticity cards and hologram stickers, but you can always Google the serial number to be sure if it's fake or not.
Authentication of Vintage Louis Vuitton
If you are buying Vintage Louis Vuitton, consider looking for stitching; the stitches, thread color, and neatness depict a lot if the bag is real or fake.
Next up, look for the date code; if the date code doesn't follow a specific order, the bag might be fake. Moreover, if the zipper or any other hardware doesn't bear the company's logo, don't buy it.