Thanks to the growth of alternative assets, designer handbags are becoming long-term investments. At auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s, designer handbags now have their own categories. In September, a Hermès Himalaya Retourné Kelly 25 sold for £303,868 ($348,977, €352,800) at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris. The highest record, however, belongs to the François Pinault-owned auction house Christie’s, which sold a similar bag for £443,987 ($510,000, €515,540) in Hong Kong last November. While heritage brands like Hermès and Chanel continue to dominate the second-hand market, newer brands are gaining prominence. According to the 2022 Rebag Report, affordable luxury brand Telfar Clemens’ bags retain 195% of their retail value.
Continue the conversation: Ask your client what their favourite Dior bag of all time is.
-1-1-1.jpeg)
Image: The Hermès Himalaya Retourné Kelly 25 bag
Image: Bitcoin
As they gain prominence, The Future Laboratory has identified four emerging communities that comprise the alternative investment landscape.
Identity Investors: Prioritising the rare, the hyped or even the odd, this group invest to align themselves with the zeitgeist and reinforce their sense of identity.
Portfolio includes sneakers
The Altruisters: Using their investment to enact positive change, this group are using their money as a starting point for doing better.
Portfolio includes renewable energy
Thrill-seekers: Drawn to the emerging, unregulated realms of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), this group have a hunger for volatile investments.
Portfolio includes NFTs
Heritage-hunters: This group recognise the cultural satisfaction in investing in assets that mature in both quality and returns.
Portfolio includes fine wine
Continue the conversation: Which one of the investor profiles above is Dior more likely to attract? Discuss with your team.
As investors embrace alternative assets, new companies are emerging to help with inventory storage, care and transport, ensuring collectors never have to handle items themselves. With its new platform Source, consignment streetwear site Stadium Goods allows collectors to buy and sell large quantities of sneakers and clothing. Each aspect of the transaction, including shipping, authentication and warehousing is managed by Stadium Goods, so buyers don’t even have to touch their inventory.
Continue the conversation: Ask your clients if they would ever buy a designer item purely for investment reasons.
Image: Stadium Goods
