Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are today the top three labels in the luxury resale market and their historic legacies play a role in their control over pricing and inventory, according to buying and selling luxury handbags online platform, Rebag.
Bottega Veneta is also continuing to thrive, consistently climbing the ranks along with luxury brands such as Prada, Celine and Balenciaga.
These are some of the key findings in Rebag’s latest Clair Report, which maps shifts within the luxury market pertaining to brand value and pricing trends. The insights within the report were drawn from Rebag’s Clair – an AI-powered instant pricing engine that enables consumers to sell and shop seamlessly while paying less.
According to the report, Hermès handbags, in particular, retain the highest value in the resale market at 90 percent. Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, retains 80 percent of its retail value, gaining 17 percentage points over last year. Lastly, Chanel handbags resell for 75 percent of their original value on average, climbing 12 percentage points from 2020.
Some popular bags that particularly hold high resale value include the Chanel 19 Flap Bag Quilted Lambskin Large, which typically resells for 68 percent of the estimated retail price. Meanwhile, Bottega Veneta’s trendy Intrecciato Nappa 20 Pouch holds 67 percent of its estimated retail price. And Gucci’s GG Marmont Flap Bag Matelasse Leather Super Mini sells for 79 percent of its estimated retail price.
In terms of fine jewelry, Van Cleef & Arpels, Rolex, and Cartier came out at the top of the chart. Van Cleef & Arpels pieces retain 95 percent of their retail value, on average, and Rolex timepieces keep 82 percent of their original retail price. Watches and fine jewelry by Cartier also hold about 74 percent of their retail value on the resale market.
The Cartier Love Bracelet in 18K Yellow Gold was found to keep 69 percent of estimated retail value while Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra 6 Motifs Necklace was noted to keep 80 percent of its estimated retail price. Finally, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Automatic Watch holds the highest resale value, selling at 144 percent over the estimated retail price.
The report also discovered that the 2000s are making a comeback, with the most searched bag styles being the Lady Dior and Fendi Baguette. The Lady Dior was noted to have been featured on Gossip Girl, while the Fendi Baguette made frequent appearances on Sex and the City. Additionally, Prada’s re-edition of the 2005 Tessuto nylon shoulder bag made the list for most favorited handbags.
The report predicts that Tiffany & Co.’s retention value will increase next year due to a few factors — leadership changes, a shift in target demographics and appointment of new brand ambassadors. At the same time, watches will continue to climb on the secondary market. In addition, the value of Bottega Veneta will continue to increase due to a renegade approach in marketing, new leadership and an updated design.
