Let me tell you about my vintage Hermes Kelly bag… (and why you should give vintage designer bags a chance!)
Now, this may be a super general statement, but I noticed that culturally, we Americans do not appreciate vintage items as much as Europeans do. In fact, I love popping into vintage stores in different European countries just to see what the same LV and Chanel bags cost, and they were usually double the price of what they would be selling in the States.
Google vintage designer bags, and the sites that are based outside of the States will give you a major sticker shock whereas popular consignment stores such as Fashionphile, Yoogi’s and the RealReal based in the U.S. will have a much lower price point for the same bags. Culturally, I feel as though we are conditioned to buy new things; however, I noticed that the demand for vintage designer bags has been growing as of late, as demonstrated by the rising prices for them in the resale market.
I feel like a lot of these fashion houses used to put in more hours and better quality leather and finishing touches for bags made 20+ years ago. After all, $1000 back in the 80s must have cost a fortune by today’s standards. By the way, vintage bags are defined as those that were made 20 years and older. (I can write about the quality of vintage Chanel bags vs now but that’s another story, for another time.)
This is about a vintage bag from another fashion house: Hermes.
As I previously shared in my other article, It’s Not a Bag, It’s a Birkin, I really thought my Hermes journey would start with a Kelly bag. I felt it was more my style and I was always watching so many more videos about the making of a Kelly bag. However, none of the ones I was seeing in the market really appealed to me and I realized that I really wasn’t into the retourne shape as much or the bright colors on a Kelly vs a Birkin.
After getting my Birkin, I realized I really wanted to try getting my hand on a Vintage Kelly. You know like the one that Grace Kelly used to hide her pregnancy bump — how chic is that?! Something about getting a box sellier vintage Kelly was so appealing to me. I wanted a structured bag since my Birkin is casual and slouchy. Besides, a Kelly bag is much more “dressy” than a Birkin so sellier made sense.
The challenge was finding the right one that was a) in a good condition and b) with the right price.
I have to say… It wasn’t easy, and I searched for WEEKS! I have to admit, I enjoyed every moment. After all, I think the process of finding the right bag (the hunt!) is not only fun, but also makes the whole journey memorable!
Not surprisingly, consignment stores based in Europe were asking for $$$$$$$, the older these bags were, the more expensive they were. Again, no surprise there. I also knew that in the States, vintage bags don’t often get snatched quickly and don’t really have a huge price tag so I felt I would have better luck on Fashionphile or Yoogi’s closet — my two go-to.
After many weeks of searching, I found THE ONE. I couldn’t believe the amazing price and my heart sang HARD for that bag. Looking at the pictures, something told me that it is definitely THE BAG I should go for. Even though I had just bought a Birkin, I just knew I wouldn’t be able to find a bag at that price and that I would regret letting it go so I WENT FOR IT.
And boy, am I glad that I did. The bag got here and I have to say it is FABULOUS.
One thing that I noticed that was interesting is that the description said 1989 but this bag was missing “Made in France” on the front stamp which meant it had to be older than that. So I went to Bababebi — the most trusted Hermes authenticator (besides authenticating via Real Authentication) and she took a very close look and told me that the bag is in fact from 1963!!!!! And that the strap is from 1989. WOW! I think I got hell of a bargain!
I bought these gorgeous luxury bag display boxes and now this beauty is sitting alongside my new Birkin. It is older than me and ever-so-ladylike. I love it.
You know the best part? Kelly is such an understated beauty that people don’t realize it’s a designer bag so I can carry it freely without raising an eyebrow like a Birkin does!! I love that!
I feel like I am carrying a piece of history! After all these years, this bag is still in style and is classy as ever. Heck, it’s even older than me!
I am so glad that I decided to go for a vintage Kelly bag and that I got a pleasant surprise and ended up with a bag much older than described and this is something I will cherish for many years to come!
Take it from me. Give vintage bags a try — you will appreciate the excellent quality and history (not only that, by going vintage, you can avoid the whole Hermes pre-spend drama so many luxury lovers are moaning about)! This bag definitely has stories to tell, I’m sure, and that just makes it that much cooler!
Très chic!
